Two Ndola mothers in shock after baby swap

Two Ndola mothers have been left in shock after they discovered that their newly born babies were allegedly swapped at Ndola Teaching Hospital shortly after giving birth.

One of the affected mothers Violet Mulenga, 26, has narrated that her joy of giving birth to her first child has been ruined by the disturbing development and wonders how the swap took place after giving birth.

Mrs Mulenga said she heard the other mother, Majory Kiprios complaining that the child she was given was not hers as her name tag seemed to have been tampered with.

“I then went to the sister in charge and explained the ordeal. The following day, the nurse came and told us that they would engage management,” she narrated amid sobs.

She wondered how the babies would be swapped when Mrs Kiprios gave birth an hour earlier than her, and that they went in theater at different intervals.

Despite not having breastfed the baby after the shocking news, Mrs Mulenga has, however, insisted, her child is the one weighing 3.4 kilogrammes.

She explained that after the two babies were weighed, the one she was given weighed 4.4 kilogrammes and not 3.4 kg as initially indicated by the midwife immediately she gave birth.

“I never claimed any child but I was just given the child by the nurses, I really don’t know if the two babies were swapped, because immediately after giving birth, I was told my child weighed 3.5 kg, therefore its shocking that I was given one weighing 4.4 kg, how can a baby gain weight within hours of giving birth, ” she said.

And her husband, Mr Mulenga who declined to give his first name, has accused management at Ndola Teaching Hospital for negligence.

Mr Mulenga said apart from negligence, there could be a member of staff who is behind the ongoing cases of baby swap at the health facility because this is not the first time such is happening

But the hospital authorities in collaboration with Zambia Police have since taken a Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) test to determine which baby belongs to who.

Copperbelt Police Commanding Officer, Peacewell Mweemba said police in Ndola received a case of suspected child swapping which occurred on Friday the 13, last week.

Mr Mweemba said Danny Kiprios, 35 a father to one of the newly born infants complained that the baby boy his wife, Majory, 25 gave birth to was swapped by unknown people.

“Brief facts are that on January 13th, last week at about 10:00 hours, the wife to the complainant gave birth to a baby boy at the above mentioned Hospital through caesarian section. She was shown the baby boy who weighed 4.4kg,” he narrated.

Thereafter it was taken to the nursery. The newly born baby was given a tag placed on the baby’s hand bearing its mother’s details. On January 14th, the next day after she recovered, she was taken to Post Natal ward. Mrs Kiprios asked for her baby boy. She was given a baby who appeared to be of a less weight to the baby she was shown first,” he said.

Mr Mweemba said Mrs Kiprios claimed that her baby boy was with another mother named Violet Mulenga aged 26.

Mr Mweemba said that the collection of DNA samples was done in the presence of the team of investigators from Ndola Central Police Station and relatives to the affected parties.

He said DNA specimen is likely to be taken to Zambia Police Service Headquarters’ Forensic Department for determination of the rightful parents to each of the babies in dispute.

He said logistics are being prepared for one Police officer and one hospital official to travel.

Mr Mweemba said the concerned parties have been assured to be availed with Forensic results as soon as possible.

Efforts to get the hospital senior medical superintendent Dr Justo Banda were unsuccessful as he was in a management meeting.