Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in trouble over amputation of baby’s leg

Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, authorities have landed themselves in trouble after a newly born baby had her leg amputated less than 1 month after being born.

The little Masvaure ended up staying at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals for more than 3 months in an isolated ward after her baby now aged 1 year & 4 months-old, had her leg amputated on 19 January 2021 because the leg had been infected.

An aggrieved Masvaure has engaged Paida Saurombe of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) who recently wrote a letter of complaint to the hospital & to the Ministry of Health and Child Care protesting & arguing that the unfortunate neglect & abuse of the baby by the hospital staff despite the protestations of the mother, had led to the minor’s leg being amputated.

Saurombe asked the hospital to provide Masvaure with all hospital records regarding her baby, all minutes on the investigations conducted on how the minor came to be amputated, provide a prosthetic leg for the baby & a comprehensive compensation plan for past and future medical expenses incurred and to be borne by the minor.

Saurombe argued that according to Section 62 of the Constitution, which provides for access to information, Masvaure is entitled to be furnished with the requested information.

In addition, Saurombe said Section 19(2)(c) of the Constitution obliges State authorities to protect children from maltreatment, neglect or any form of abuse.

He said failure to positively respond to Masvaure’s demands will leave him with no option but to employ legal measures to obtain the requested medical records. -ZLHR