”They just wanted to deliver the baby ‘sharp-sharp’ without following the normal procedure. Now, I cannot conceive another child because of the complications I had after that horrific birth experience.”
The insufficiency of standard Primary Healthcare Facilities (PHCs) in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano was why Hajiya Hafsat Sunusi (Not real name) said she went to Dala PHC to give birth to her third child. Never did she know that it would be from Frying Pan to fire.
Hajiya Sunusi* studied midwifery in the higher institution, although she isn’t practising. She told this reporter that it was traumatising for her to witness another medical practitioner deliver for her in an unprofessional manner.
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She told Daily News 24 that she has given birth to three children already stating that whenever she was in labour, it usually took a little time before delivery.
”They were not patient with me and went ahead to conduct a CS (Caesarian Section) for me because of a little delay which is a normal occurrence for me while in labour just before birth.
‘’There were 10 other women who I met in the hospital that were operated upon and when I counted, we were eleven at the time when I was in there.’’ She said, in Anger.
Hajiya Sunusi* said after that awful delivery, she had a series of complications which lingered for two years. She told this reporter that she had to go for treatment in Lagos before she could get healed.
She added that after healing, the doctor told her not to conceive any child again, only if she was ready to deliver through a caesarean section. ‘’On hearing that, I and my husband decided to stop having children.
‘’ The government has to look into this because if this continues like this, many women are going to be at risk. I am pleading with the relevant authorities to look into this because I am sure that the people who did this were not professionals.” She said.
When Daily News 24 contacted, Dala PHC, the management strongly denied the allegation saying it was false, adding that they do not carry out cesarean sections for women in the facility.
Hajiya Sunusi* Spoke to Daily News 24 during a community accountability town hall meeting on strengthening maternal and child healthcare through accountability in Kumbotso LGA.
The town hall meeting was organized by the Resource Center for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED).
No matter what it will cost me, my child must become a doctorÂ
Ms Binta Abdullahi was in labour and she went to a Primary healthcare facility in Ja’en, Kumbotoso LGA, and was referred to Nuhu Bamali PHC in Kano Municipal to birth her child. She told Daily News 24 that she was already experiencing excruciating labour pains at the time she arrived at Nuhu Bamali Hospital.
When she arrived at the facility, she was shockingly turned back by a staff in the PHC.
According to her, she was told that it was just an illness and not labour. She insisted to be given a space to just relax a bit but a certain staff kept shouting at her to leave, stating that Ms Abdullahi wasn’t in labour.
‘’The lady was so rude to me that she ordered me out of the facility. She outrightly told me to my face to get out. I was so sad because I was in pain and I knew I was in labour but the staff kept on insisting that I was not in labour.
‘’As she ordered me out, I spoke back to her and told her not to talk to me or other pregnant women who come to the facility, and then I left the in infuriation and pain. A woman who understood my condition there told me to rush to Murtala general teaching hospital but I refused. I told myself that whatever will happen should happen to me after all, it wasn’t my first time giving birth.
‘’It was not up to ten minutes when I arrived home in pains and bitterness that I delivered my Baby girl in my house. I was so bitter because of the way I was treated in Nuhu Bamali PHC because I knew how I was feeling and they turned me down. Anytime I think about that painful experience, it brings bitterness to me.
Ms Abdullahi gave to a baby girl who is about two years old now but hasn’t started school yet. and Ms Abdullahi says ‘’ No matter what it will cost me, I will do anything in my power to make sure that my last child studies medicine and becomes a medical doctor so she can help others.’’ She vowed.
Ms Abdulllahi told this reporter that she has made up her mind never to visit Nuhu Bamalli hospital again and that the circumstance of her eighth delivery was what made her vow that her daughter must become a doctor.
Nusaiba Hassan’s* experience was that of ill-treatment and out-of-pocket spending in Nuhu Bamali hospital. Ms Hassan said she had labour pains when she went to the hospital to give birth to her child in the morning and was left there till evening before she was attended to.
‘’It was already night when my water broke and I was seated in severe pain when staff told me to stand up so that I won’t deliver my baby at that spot, but I told them to leave me because I was in unbearable pain at that moment, after being neglected for hours.
‘’I later gave birth to my child that night and to my surprise, a matron forced me to buy two liquid soap and a set of gloves which was sold in the hospital, before they could continue with the remaining process of my delivery and further discharge from the hospital
I had to buy from them even with the knowledge that I was not supposed to because do so but i was left with no other option, considering my situation. It was a really painful experience’’ She concluded.
Daily News 24 reached out to the management of Dala PHC and a senior official in the facility told this reporter that the incident which happened can’t be certified unless they (MS Abdullahi and Nusaiba Hassan) report to the hospital with the name of the staff who treated them badly before anything can be done.
The house leader for Kumbotso LGA told Daily News 24 that the chairman of Kumbotso is working tirelessly to ensure that the challenges which women face in respect to the inadequacy of viable PHC’s in the LGA will be solved. ”I have heard their challenges and will forward it to the chairman,” he said.Â
Ms Zuwaira Omar, the contact and mobilization officer of CHRICED told Daily News24 that the lack of active ambulances in PHCs in Kumbotso causes delays in transferring women to other facilities that are nearby, adding that a large number of staff in Kumbotso PHC are either temporary or voluntary staff who could be responsible for treating certain patients harshly.
”The impact of CHRICED regarding MNCH accountability in Kano is that the community members have begun asking for their rights from the duty bearers. We have started pushing citizens to demand their rights and now, they are the ones monitoring their PHCs and demanding accountability in the process of service delivery” Ms Zuwaira said.
The names of interviewees marked with * are not their real names. They spoke to Daily News24 on the condition of anonymity.
