A family in Swakopmund is seeking answers from the management of the Swakopmund State Hospital after the body of their baby went missing.

The baby, who was named Makena Beauty Mulozi, was born at 21h00 on Tuesday weighing 3,4 kilogrammes but did not survive.

According to the family, they arrived at the hospital Thursday afternoon to pick up the baby’s body for burial, only to be told by the mortuary assistant that they could not find the body.

“After handing over all the necessary documentation to the mortuary staff, we were surprised when they came back to tell us they could not find the baby’s body,” said Franco Kolofu, who is related to the baby’s parents.

He told the media when they questioned the person who was in charge at the time, they were not given a positive response and demanded to speak to the hospital’s Chief Superintendent Amir Shaker, who was not at the hospital at the time.

“Nobody seemed to have an answer for us and we are left confused. We do not know who to get answers from. We had already made burial arrangements and some relatives also travelled all the way from Zambezi Region to attend the funeral,” Kolofu said.

Ntwala Sikopo, another relative, said he was disappointed in the Directorate of Health and Social Services in the region, adding that this was pure negligence.

“I am very sad and disappointed in the hospital management. Now we are here with an empty coffin and a dug grave, but no body. We need answers,” Sikopo stressed.

Approached for comment, Dr Shaker told the media to leave and threatened to sue, saying the media did not have the right to film in the hospital without authorisation.

Ministry of Health and Social Services spokesperson Manga Libita referred this reporter to Regional Health Director Anna Jonas, who said the ministry was launching an investigation into the matter.

She also added that the family has been advised to open a case with the police in order to have the incident investigated.

Source: Namibia Press Agency