Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo
Bulawayo Bureau
Shocked to be discharged with a baby girl after giving birth to a boy via Caesarean section, a new mother from Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb confirmed her suspicions through DNA testing about a month later.
The incident happened at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) where the mother, who cannot be named due to ethical concerns, was discharged with a baby girl.
The tests, which cost a considerable US$220, was conducted at a laboratory in Bulawayo’s city centre to prove that the child given to the insistent mother by a maternity nurse at the hospital was not her biological offspring.
“The day before the birth, she underwent a scan which confirmed she was expecting a boy.
“After the delivery, a nurse took the child for cleaning and returned it to the mother.
“The mother, who had been taking photographs of her son, noticed the baby’s identification tag indicated it was a girl,” said the source close to the woman, who lives in Cowdray Park.
Initially unaware of the discrepancy, the new mother immediately alerted the nurse, expressing her concern.
However, the nurse dismissed her concerns, suggesting that the effects of the anaesthesia for the Caesarean section might have clouded her judgment.
According to the source, another expectant mother had been admitted to the ward just fifteen minutes before the operation, but she had already been discharged by the time the alert mother raised the alarm.
“She contacted her relatives to inform them of the situation. Her uncle suggested DNA testing, but the nurse vehemently opposed the idea, claiming it was too expensive and unaffordable for the family.
“However, the uncle insisted, and they proceeded with the testing at a laboratory in the Bulawayo city centre.
“The results unequivocally confirmed that the baby girl was not her biological child.”
Furious, the family returned to the hospital, demanding answers and demanding the return of their biological son. Hospital staff were compelled to locate the other mother, who resided in Esigodini, Umzingwane District.
A hospital vehicle was dispatched to retrieve her.
However, the woman’s husband was uncooperative, adamantly insisting that the child was his.
The police were subsequently involved, and the couple was brought to Bulawayo. At the insistence of the aggrieved family, the hospital engaged the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) for DNA testing. The results unequivocally confirmed that the two babies had been exchanged.
Zephania Dlamini, head of the Applied Genetics Testing Centre at NUST, confirmed this shocking discovery.
“In the Bulawayo cases, two women who were in the same ward at UBH delivered around the same time. The complainant asserted that her child was a boy, but when it was returned after cleaning, she was given a girl.”
Dlamini further said that when confronted with the discrepancy, the other mother adamantly insisted that her child was indeed a boy, a claim vehemently supported by her husband.
“He even insisted that the ultrasound scan had confirmed the sex of the child as male.
“Before approaching NUST, the complainant had sought testing at Global DNA lab in the city centre, which confirmed that the baby girl was not hers.
“Our results corroborated these findings. Subsequent testing on the couple claiming to be the parents of the boy yielded negative results, while the boy’s DNA matched that of the complainant, and the girl’s DNA matched that of the other woman,” said Dlamini.
Dlamini revealed that the entire hospital administration was present at the laboratory during the testing process.
UBH chief medical officer, William Busumani, declined to comment on the incident.
“We do not discuss patient information,” he stated.
Maphios Siamuchembu, Provincial Medical Director for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, said he was not aware of any reports of baby swapping from UBH.
Renowned medical expert, Solwayo Ngwenya, described baby-swapping errors as tragic but avoidable with proper diligence.
“Receiving a child who is not your own is a devastating experience, particularly from a cultural perspective. In private medical practice, staff are rigorously trained to prevent such occurrences, and the lower volume of deliveries facilitates closer monitoring.
We strive to ensure such errors never occur in private healthcare settings, as they would severely damage the institution’s reputation,” said Ngwenya.
He stressed the importance of rigorous procedures in ensuring that each newborn is correctly identified and returned to their biological mother.
“Immediately after birth, each baby should be assigned a unique identification tag. This, combined with meticulous attention to detail and adherence to established protocols, is crucial in preventing these tragic errors.
“There are likely many individuals who have been unknowingly raised by parents who are not their biological parents due to similar incidents.
“These individuals may have grown up in entirely different environments, speaking different languages, leading to profound and unforeseen consequences.”
Ngwenya urged healthcare institutions to prioritise staff training on the importance of accurate newborn identification.
“These tragic incidents are entirely preventable. By adhering to strict protocols and maintaining a vigilant approach, we can ensure that such errors do not occur,” Ngwenya stressed.
The case raises serious concerns about the potential for similar incidents to have occurred undetected, particularly among families who may not have the financial resources to pursue DNA testing.
Richard Ndebele, a cultural expert, said that baby swapping was unheard of in the past due to the traditional system of village midwives.
“Those involved in such an act must be prepared to face the consequences, as misfortune may befall both the child and themselves. The child may experience difficulties throughout their life, and the perpetrators may face the wrath of their ancestors,” Ndebele warned.
He further explained that traditional birth rites cannot be effectively performed for a child who is not biologically related to the family, as the ancestors would not recognise the child.
“There can be no righteousness in such an act of deception. You may deceive mortal beings, but the ancestors will be aware of your actions, and any rituals performed will be rendered meaningless.”
Margaret Makumbe, a retired nurse with a distinguished career spanning four decades and delivering over 10 000 babies, stressed the unwavering commitment to excellence that characterised her profession.
She highlighted the paramount importance of meticulous attention to detail, a skill that every nurse and supervisor had to master to prevent any medical errors, such as the tragic case of a mother being mistakenly given the wrong baby.
“In my entire career, I never experienced that wherever I was deployed, neither did I hear of it anywhere else and I think this was because we did what we did out of love.
“I just wonder how such a mistake can happen because once a baby is delivered the mother is shown the child before it’s taken away for cleaning with a name tag already strapped on the wrist,” said Makumbe who at one time while at Mpilo delivered 15 babies in a single night.
