My newly born baby was stolen in hospital: Makovi
When Marvis Makovi gave birth to a baby girl at Mpilo General Hospital in Bulawayo on 15 June 2012, little did she know that her baby would varnish into thin air or that a deeper mystery awaited the fate of the child.
Marvis developed some complications as the doctors at the health institution found out that she had developed an abnormal pregnancy in that the baby had developed outside the womb.
A baby girl, birth weight 2600 grams was delivered through caesarian and the placenta left behind to avoid excessive bleeding and the patient was admitted in the gynecology ward with the baby.
According to documents from the Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern, a letter from the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare dated 10 May 2017, on 23 June 2012 at 2200 hours the nurse noted that the baby was having difficulties in breathing and the baby was then taken to the Special Baby Unit for antibiotic therapy and further care.
The baby’s grandmother was present in the Special Baby Unit whilst the mother remained in the gynecology ward. Unfortunately the baby ‘died’ at 0100 hours on 24 June 2012, the grandmother (May Zuze) was present, but the mother was still too sick to go across and see the ‘dead’ baby.
A notice of the death of a person form was given to May Zuze ID Number 08-240148 G08 of 13809 Nkulumane 12, Bulawayo and she then signed the form confirming that the baby was ‘dead’.
The mother then underwent a second operation on 21 June 2012 to remove the placenta and she was discharged on 25 June 2012. A follow up at the mortuary hows that the baby was received there as Baby Mavis Makoni due to a mistake in the handwritten entry, thereby throwing more spanners into the wheel and complicating the whole issue about the baby issue.
“My baby was stolen from Mpilo Hospital as I was never given a chance to ‘do body viewing’ as per norm, as the nurses on duty presumably ordered for burial order. I then reported to Mzilikazi Police Station, that my baby had been stolen at the hospital. I want to know exactly what happened. I was told that Zuze ‘buried’ my baby on 6 July 2012 at West Park Cemetry in Bulawayo without my consent. Ambassador Funeral Servicewere part of the burying process of my baby, but they are now refusing responsibility as there is no burial order found”, narrated a dejected MarvisMakovi, who now resides at BD Mine near Kwekwe.
According to a letter written to Ministry of Health and Child Welfare by Anti- Corruption Trust of Southern Africa , MarvisMakovi is vehemently denying that the baby was sick, and that she was’ too sick’ to see her baby, also Mary Zuze confessed to MsMakovi that she also did not see the body of the baby. Also the signature of a person purporting to be an employee of Ambassador Funeral Services who allegedly collected and buried the baby appear to have been forged since MrCharumbira of Ambassador Funeral Services disowned the signature, during the presence of MsMakovi.
MsMakovi still insists that she should have been actively engaged before the burial of the baby and her husband BothwellMpiyabo should have been consulted before the burial. Marvis therefore still suspects that her baby was allegedly stolen at Mpilo Hospital and sold.
According to a letter by ZIMRIGHTS dated 01 November 2012 to the Superintendent of Mpilo General Hospital, Mavis Makovi complained about the unethical and mysterious conduct of Mpilo staff and confirmed that she gave birth to a healthy baby girl who had no problems at all. She stayed with the baby for eight days with her and the nurses or doctors indicating that there was no problem with the baby. On the night of 23 of June at around 2100 hours, she (Marvis) was approached by a nurse( who she can identify) who indicated to her that she was taking the baby to a doctor. She herself was left behind by the nurse. The nurse came back later around 0230 in the morning and indicated that the baby had passed away. Marvis was never shown the baby, but only the baby’s clothes only. Her requests to see the baby were ignored by the nurses in question but she was only advised that the body had been ferried to the mortuary. She had to be discharged from the hospital without getting any meaningful answers from the authorities on the cause or whereabouts of her baby, with reports indicating that the baby had been buried without her knowledge. Sometime on the 29 of August 2012 Marvis went back to Mpilo Hospital and sought the assistance of the police post officers in order to search for the name of the baby in the available records to no avail. A child with a similar name but different surname was found and the police were suggesting that could be the child as the authorities could have made a mistake. When querried who had collected the baby for burial, they indicated that Ambassador funeral services had carried out the burial but they are also were denying that responsibility. It still remains a mystery today as to where the baby girl is.
