Following the recent incidence where a mother in labour pain gave birth to her baby in the hospital corridor after waiting for a doctor in vain, the management of Muhima hospital has henceforth suspended a Nursing officer that was on duty.
The Ministry of Health in a press release has welcomed a decision taken by Hospital management to suspend a Nursing officer over poor handling of an expectant mother as the entire sector intensifies campaigns to stamp out poor patient care.
Though the expectant mother came to the hospital quite late, a team investigating the incidence also found out that the Nurse failed to promptly provide basic care to the expectant mother, leaving her to give birth under circumstances that are totally unacceptable within the Health sector.
“Good care is right for every person seeking services from our facilities,” said Dr. Agnes Binagwaho Minister of Health. “Extending this good care is also one of the key principles that define our profession especially as health service providers.”
“Much as the general survey done by the Rwanda Governance Board gave an approved service delivery rate of 75%, we MUST put in more effort in polishing up areas that continue to show weaknesses.
“Incidents where it is proved that there was clear professional negligence or failure to handle patient/customers in a manner expected of us as professionals is not something the sector will tolerate.” the Minister said.
The Minister also called upon the general public not to wait for the last minute to seek treatment or services from health facilities as the case was with the expectant mother. She emphasized that where cases of negligence happen, the public should quickly inform management of health facilities or the Ministry directly through a toll free line of 114.
Noting a general improvement in service delivery within the sector, the minister called upon health care providers to put in more effort in serving their clients better.
“Even a smile on our faces counts a lot,” she said.
Muhima hospital suspended the Nurse for a period of one month.
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