‘Social babies’ abandoned at state hospital
Available shelters full
There is an increasing need for the placement of abused, neglected and abused children in Namibia.
*Nando is a beautiful boy, but it is clear that care and love are not part of his short life. Nando bites the other children in the ward in the Katutura State Hospital where a social worker left him, cries in the evenings and shouts for his "Mummy".*Palesa is kept in the respiratory ward and is also a "social baby" - babies who are placed in the hospital by social workers from the state until a safe home or suitable foster care can be found for them. Palesa's development is delayed and she has allegedly been in hospital for a year.
A twins' file apparently contains no information about where they come from and what the plans are for the future for the two babies who have already been in the hospital for months.
According to an informed source who also sent photos of the babies to Republikein, some of the other "social babies" have already been in the nursery for nine months. Some of the photos include the dirty clothes that the babies are believed to have been wearing for four days and longer.
"Their beds are full of food and dirt. You can hardly be near the babies because they smell so bad from the urine," says the source.
According to the source, the babies "do not belong" in the hospital, "because they do not get treatment, but the social workers just leave them here. They need love and someone who cares, but no one does."
Staff also apparently change every month which, according to the source, means that "these babies don't have one person in their lives who is always there for them".
Sorry situation
The source claims that a "woman with a baby home" said she "had to force a doctor to discharge a baby because he was dying from malnutrition".
When asked, the executive director of health and social services, Ben Nangombe, admitted that the ministry is aware of the babies being admitted to the Katutura State Hospital.
Currently, there are eight children between the ages of two months and two years who have been placed in the government hospital for their protection. Three were placed here in May and September last year respectively and five in February this year.
According to Nangombe, they are being placed here due to pending court orders under the Child Care and Protection Act (CCPA). During their admission, the babies in question are transferred to paediatric wards and the state hospital is considered by law to be a temporary place of safety.
According to him, there is an increasing need for the placement of abused, neglected and rejected children in Namibia.
"The child care and protection law states that any person performing professional or official duties, as well as any other person, may report suspected neglect and abuse to any social worker employed by the state or a member of the police.
"The state employs social workers, as well as the police, who are responsible for immediate action should there be a reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed or is about to be committed. The children who are therefore admitted for protective services are brought to the Katutura State Hospital by the social workers or members of the police," Nangombe explained.
Protection sought
Nangombe says that when a report is released by a social worker or member of the Namibian police that a child is suspected of being neglected or abused, the child in question must be brought to the hospital for medical attention and observation.
Should the child or baby in question show any signs of neglect or abuse, he or she will be admitted to hospital by the social worker pending the investigation.
According to Nangombe, the social worker is looking for temporary shelters or placement with foster parents or custody for the minor in question for the next 48 hours.
"When children are placed in the wards, it is after long consideration of factors and consequences and the best interest of the child."
According to Nangombe, the children involved are placed in separate rooms away from sick children and they "hardly come into contact with the other sick children".
He also said that the placement of the children in the hospital is only a temporary measure until the investigations by the social workers of the ministry are completed.
Nangombe acknowledges the rising demand and need for protection services for children suspected of being neglected or abused or in a dangerous situation has placed a huge burden on the ministry in the presidency responsible for gender equality, poverty eradication and social welfare "because the available shelters are always full or because the search for a suitable home for foster care leads to long procedures”.
Most of the babies currently forced to find a home in the Katutura hospital have legal guardians and parents.
However, some are removed from the care of their parents and guardians because social workers see that the child needs to be protected and is vulnerable to abuse. * Aliases
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