On July 20, 2023, I read an article in the Times of Zambia that broke my heart. This has left me with so many unanswered questions. The article was titled. “Maternity Tragedy,” written by Passy Haachizo and Curlos Bunda. To summarize the article, it was a report on tragic deaths recorded in the maternity ward of the main hospitals in Kapiri Mposhi and Kabwe districts of Central Province, with investigations indicating that the deaths were because of gross negligence by the nursing staff. In the first case, a woman died. Her unborn baby died after health staff failed to attend to her for over five hours, while in the other case, the woman delivered on her own, unattended to in full view of the staff, and during the process, her new-born fell to the floor from the bed and died from its injuries.

 According to the Article, The District Commissioner, during the visit following this report of the maternal deaths, said, “The health personnel exhibited poor health service delivery resulting in the death.”

According to Part III of the Zambian Constitution, The Bill of Rights, Article 28(1) states that; a person has the right to life, Article 28(2) states that; the life of a person begins at conception, and Article 28(3) states; that a person shall not be deprived of life intentionally, except for a capital offence, the sentence of which is death, subject to limitations, defences and extent prescribed.

Reading into those Constitutional provisions on the right to life, which is a fundamental human right, the questions that I seek answers to about the cases that were reported are the following:

 

• • Who is liable for the tragic deaths?

• • What action has been taken against those that have been held responsible?

It is familiar to me to hear that some of the causes of maternal mortality in Zambia that have been alluded to health system failures are mentioned below;

 

1. 1. poor quality of care, including disrespect, mistreatment, and abuse

1. 1. insufficient numbers of adequately trained health workers

1. 1. shortages of essential medical supplies

1. 1. The poor accountability of health systems.

I am curious to know why the negligence of the health practitioners goes unpunished. Like in the cases discussed, I read further in the article how the District Commissioner suggested making some official transfers of some staff members – was he referring to those that were negligent and caused the maternal deaths as was reported?

The rights of women who carry life have been abused; there is psychological torture, violation of the right to life, health, and cruel and degrading treatment of women where maternal mortality due to negligence of the health practitioners remains a silent whisper in the mouths of the victims.

 Do we forget that God has given the gift of a child to a woman?  (Psalm 127:3), who then is defending their right to life, health, dignity, and personal integrity in maternal healthcare and fundamental rights guaranteed under the Zambian Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and several other International Human Rights Treaties.

Written by Anna Mwitwa, Managing Partner, AMLP.

#MinistryOfHealth#HumanRightsCommission#UNICEF #InternationalLabourOrganisation #EndingMaternalMortality