An alarm has been raised over the increase in deaths of Under-Five children in Kenema district by the hospital Secretary, Joseph T. Kamara.
Speaking to Awoko, he disclosed that the hospital admitted 443 infants in the month of September, 406 were discharged while 37 deaths occurred.
For the month of October, he disclosed that 415 children were admitted, 382 discharged and 32 deaths recorded.
The hospital secretary was of the opinion that children die as a result of what he referred to as carelessness on the part of some lactating mothers, adding that most the deaths are as a result of late arrival in the hospital when the child’s condition is beyond recovery.
Joseph Kamara further maintained that health practitioners may apply their best in saving a life yet still the chances of survival have always been slim, while stressing that they have been engaging community stakeholders in ensuring that lactating mothers bring their children to the hospital in time as they noticed any illness.
He expressed frustration over the numbers of children that died within these two months which he said is a big disappointment to the hospital management and their donor partners.
He called on stakeholders to discourage such practices and encouraged their subjects to come to the health centre on time.
One of the mothers of a patient who spoke to this medium alleged that she came with her baby to the hospital at 8.00am but she was not attended to until 2.00pm and suddenly when the first treatment was administered to her child, convulsion attacked the baby, she said the nurses refused to attend to her saying until the doctor arrived.
Meanwhile, Joseph T Kamara has indicated that that gone are the days when people used the hospital compound as a market place.
He emphasised that everyone, irrespective of status, must now adhere to the rules and regulations binding on patients visiting the hospital.
By Saffa B. Moriba
Thursday November 19, 2015
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