909 avoidable incidents as 1565 babies die at Bara Hospital

2 May 2023

The Gauteng Health Department claims not a single case of negligence occurred concerning 1565 neonatal deaths at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital maternity ward in the last three years, but more than half of these deaths were associated with avoidable incidents.

According to Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature, there were 909 possible avoidable factors in connection with the recorded deaths, including the following:

- 589 cases of inadequate infection control

- 211 cases of limited neonatal ICU beds

- 70 delays in case management/underestimating seriousness; and

- 39 cases of hypothermia

I am also concerned that 1443 babies were born with intrapartum hypoxia (lack of oxygen during delivery), and 997 with various stages of encephalopathy (brain injury), broken down as follows:

- 579 (58%) with mild encephalopathy

- 300 (30%) with moderate encephalopathy

- 118 (12%) with severe encephalopathy

According to the MEC, babies born with severe encephalopathy will have signs of brain damage in the long term, those with mild encephalopathy are unlikely to have signs of brain damage in the long term, while those with moderate encephalopathy will need follow up as it is difficult to predict who will have brain damage in the long-term.

The Gauteng Health Department seems to be in denial about the conditions at this maternity unit which faces more than 50 medical negligence claims totalling about R1 billion. Half of these claims are for cerebral palsy caused by brain damage, with claims ranging from R10 million to R51 million.

There are currently 652 staff at the hospital’s maternity and neonatal wards, with 34 vacancies.

These vacancies need to be filled as soon as possible, and the number of neonatal ICUs increased as there is a shortage that leads to avoidable incidents.

More needs to be done to ensure that avoidable medical factors that injure babies are minimised in these busy wards, which deliver about 18000 babies a year.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 2 May 2023