Death of Quintuplets:Hospital authorities shed light

The death of the five babies born of Mrs Honorine Nshi shortly after birth at the Yaoundé Central Hospital sparked controversy over social media. Social Media went viral ventilating allegations that the five months old premature babies died as a result of negligence on the part of hospital staff; an allegation that hospital authorities have strongly confirmed.

The Director of the Yaoundé Central Hospital in a press released made public this Tuesday 29th March 2016 explained what happened at the hospital from the moment the pregnant woman arrived.

He indicated that 30 years old, Mrs Honorine Nshi, mother of two children who lives at the Carrier neighbourhood in Yaoundé was received at the Yaoundé Central Hospital on Tuesday, 22nd March 2016 for uterine contraction for more than 12 hours on a multiple pregnancy.

The fact that, the woman caring five foetuses in her womb, was previously unknown to the medical team on duty. The pregnancy was five months old, precisely 22 weeks, four days given that the last menstrual period was 15th October 2015.

Upon arrive at the hospital, she was taken care of immediately and examination showed that she was fully dilated. This was a late inevitable abortion with expulsion of the foetus within the hour comprising a mummified foetus weighing 200g, a still-born of 700g and 3 foetuses gasping and dying within five minutes of expulsion, weighing 550g, 570g and 650g respectively.

The Director of the hospital noted that the maternity of the Central Hospital has incubators for keeping babies safe before any transfer to neonatology (paediatrics), which is the final receiving service but the foetuses were not viable.

The bodies were returned to the family at their request and Mrs Nshi was hospitalised for additional 48 hours when she was given all necessary health care. He added that since then the hospital has not received any complain.

The Director of the Yaounde Central Hospital insisted that the Mrs Nshi carried a multiple, high-risk pregnancy, seen within the emergency context in our maternity. Adequate care provided by our Hospital enabled medical staff to save the mother who is in good health and returned to her family on 24th March 2016. Unfortunately, the foetuses could not survive given the age of the pregnancy and low weight at birth.

While presenting condolences to the family, the Central Hospital is at the disposal of user and will spare no effort to improve its services, reception and care, he concluded.