Govt: Maternity ward altercation misleading
DODOMA: CHIEF Medical Officer, Dr Grace Magembe has firmly dismissed allegations circulating on social media regarding a viral video showing an altercation between a nurse and a police officer at Kibondo District Council Hospital, Kigoma Region.
The video claimed that a police officer stormed into a maternity ward, a claim Dr Magembe described as completely false and designed to incite unnecessary tension between the public and the government.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday at the Ministry of Health offices in Mtumba, Dodoma, Dr Magembe clarified that the woman featured in the video had been admitted to the hospital on August 28th this year and underwent a successful caesarean section at around 1:40 am that same night.
She was monitored on August 29th this year and discharged in good health on August 30th this year. Addressing another misleading aspect of the video, which alleged that the nurse was seen manually removing the placenta in a general ward, Dr Magembe explained that such procedures are carried out either during natural childbirth or in an operating theatre, not in general wards as portrayed.
“A woman who delivers naturally may require manual removal of the placenta through the birth canal. However, in this case, the mother delivered via caesarean section and her placenta was removed in the operating room, not in the ward,” clarified Dr Magembe.
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She further said that the confusion appeared to stem from ongoing rumours about the nurse allegedly soliciting bribes from patients and their relatives. According to family members of the woman in the video, the nurse reportedly demanded 60,000/-, of which 39,000/- had already been paid.
“The hospital administration had received reports alleging that the nurse was involved in accepting bribes. A trap was set to catch her in the act of receiving the remaining 21,000/-, which led to the commotion captured in the viral video,” said Dr Magembe.
On the issue of the nurse not wearing gloves during the incident, Dr Magembe said that all health workers are required to follow standard operating procedures, including the mandatory use of protective gloves while on duty to protect both patients and staff from infections.
Regarding disciplinary measures, she noted that the matter is now under the jurisdiction of relevant authorities, in line with an official statement issued by the Kibondo District Council.
Dr Magembe also took the opportunity to reassure the public that maternal and reproductive health services in Tanzania have significantly improved. She said a substantial reduction in maternal mortality, has reduced from 556 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021 to 104 per 100,000 in 2024.
“This is clear evidence of the progress we’ve made in maternal health. Our systems are improving and mothers now have access to safer, more reliable care,” she said.
