The Observatório Cidadão para Saúde (OCS), as a member of forty civil society organizations platform, working against obstetric violence, encourages the Ministry of Heath to hold accountable the health professionals involved in obstetric violence and babies trafficking.
Saber Nascer – also a member of the platform, working in the humanization of obstetric services – recently held a press conference in Maputo, to underline the need of accountability measures against health Professionals involved in this kind of violence.
At the press conference, the representative of Saber Nascer, Caminha Fanheiro, criticized the occurrence of these anomalies that have been taking place in the government institutions.
“We cannot accept the silence in this type of situation. The silent shout of these women should outrage us. Therefore, we demand accountability from everyone, including the highest levels”, she said.
“Mobile brigades need to be created to reduce the long journey to access childbirth services”
The president of the Young Women Leaders Network, Quitéria Guirengane, condemns the distance that pregnant women have to travel to access childbirth service.
“We must ensure the existence of mobile brigades that can assist childbirth in a safe and dignified manner. We have already witnessed women being forced to buy supplies, such as gloves, for the birthing service. Or even giving birth with the phone in their teeth, due to the lack of light in the Health Unit”, she said.
On the occasion, she recalled a case of a baby who lost his life during the birthing service, after falling and hitting his head on the floor.
“We intend to organize a meeting with some entities of the Ministry of Health. We really want those people related to these acts to be held criminally and administratively responsible so that they serve as an example and do not repeat these acts anymore.”
“Giving birth to a baby in Mozambique is not about light, but about darkness.”
For her part, Ndzira de Deus lamented the fact that, in Mozambique, there are no consultations recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to avoid deaths during childbirth moments.
“It is important that the issue of infrastructure and transport be resolved, so that women can reach the Health Units safely. We also want to solve the delay in the treatment”, he said.
“Giving birth to a baby in Mozambique is not about light, but about darkness. Women cry out to heaven and earth to survive after childbirth process.”
“They put me in a dark room. They insulted me and called me names”
Leila suddenly woke up at Maputo Central Hospital (HCM). The day before, she had been at Maputo Provincial Hospital. They insulted her. They called her all kinds of names.
After that, they took her to an isolated room, “they gave me something to drink and then I vomited. After that, they put me in an isolated room.”
Stammering, she tells that in the dark room out of nowhere, she began to bleed. She called for help and was taken from that place. They gave her something to drink and she didn’t wake up until the next day Maputo Central Hospital.”
There, she could not remember anything else. She was amazed when she was informed that she was in Maputo Central Hospital and, to her unhappiness, the doctor said, unconvincingly, “I think your baby died. Maybe he is at Maputo Provincial Hospital.”
Since then, she has been looking for her baby, but there is still no information about her location.