Jinja — A Ugandan couple, Zainah Magomu and Francis Mubiru checked into Jinja Regional Referral Hospital to deliver a set of twins on Feb, 8.

All Africa reports that sadly, the first to pop out died shortly after and Zainah’s husband, Francis Mubiru made arrangements to take the dead baby for burial, while the husband was away, a second child was delivered but was premature.

As a medical requirement, the baby was put in an incubator. And sadly, that was the last Ms Magomu saw of the child.

“I went out to the toilet and came back to feed my baby, but the incubator was empty. When I asked the nurse the whereabouts of my baby, she said she did not know,” she narrates.

Image result for picture of empty incubator

At the hospital, mothers are only allowed into the Special Care Unit to feed the babies and promptly leave.

According to Ms Magomu’s recollection, there was only one nurse manning the facility on the fateful day.

The couple is traumatized over the disappearance of their baby. Worse still is the fact that they have never received any communication from the hospital.

Ms Magomu said they have spent a lot of money seeking justice.

As their last resort, they have petitioned the President with the hope that power and authority from the top office will help them know the truth about their baby.

“I am demanding for my child whether dead or alive because it was the responsibility of the nurse to ensure safety of my baby while in the incubator,” she said.

The Uganda Police confirmed the incident, saying it is still being investigated under reference case number CRB 117/2017. Two people, police say, have been arrested, including the nurse who was on duty that day and another suspect whose details police refused to release. They are both out on police bond.

Efforts to get comments from the hospital director, Dr Sophie Namasopo, were futile as her known telephone numbers were off by press time.

The Jinja Resident District Commissioner, Mr Rex Aachilla, said he has been following the case and engaged the hospital director in security meetings.

“Since the incident happened, we have had security meetings over the matter and the hospital director said she is committed to seeing, through police, that the child is recovered but up to now, the police have not come out with any report,” Mr Aachilla said

He further said there are unusual beliefs surrounding the disappearance of the twin baby that somebody maliciously picked it for a different purpose, which is hindering investigation.

State House has now written to Jinja hospital demanding an explanation.

In a letter dated May 10, signed by Mr Emmanuel Ilukor, on behalf of the Principal Private Secretary to the President, Ms Molly Kamukama, to the Director Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, they are demanding an urgent response to the said allegations.

The hospital has been, among others, asked to explain circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the said twin baby from the hospital incubator, the whereabouts of the baby; alive or dead, the list and details of doctors and nurses who were on duty from the time the mother was admitted for maternity, during maternity to the date of discharge and the names and details of doctors and nurses who were supposed to be on duty.

They must also produce the attendance register for the hospital employees to the maternity section for the period of February 2 to February 13, authorities insist.

The Monitor