The Zimbabwe doctor in Namibia has been found guilty of «serious unprofessional, unworthy and disgraceful conduct» after a baby died during delivery.
Dennis Tauya was slapped with a one year ban.His colleague, a Kenyan, was also found guilty.
The committee that probed the death found that Komu’s negligence was «much more serious» than that of Tauya.
Komu indicated that Christina Kativa’s baby was stillborn on October 29 2008 while the baby was in fact alive at birth.
This action is expected to be investigated by the Office of the Prosecutor General, Kimberg said.
After their conviction, Willie Rossouw, acting for the health council, asked that Komu be struck from the medical register and that Tauya be suspended for at least two years.
The committee showed lenience and suspended Komu for two years, on condition that he undergoes gynaecological and obstetric training for two years outside Rundu one week per month at his own costs.
Furthermore, he would need to submit quarterly reports to the council and keep a logbook of his progress.
Should the council not be satisfied with his progress, the suspension could be put into operation.
Tauya’s one-year suspension was suspended for a year provided he gets gynaecological and obstetric training for a year.
He needs to progress satisfactorily, keep proper records of such progress and submit quarterly reports to the council.
If the council is not happy with his progress, his suspension could come into effect.
Both doctors declined to comment yesterday.
Testifying in mitigation of sentencing, Komu claimed that he supports his sick father and siblings financially.
Both doctors are married with children.
According a report by Dr Ulf Tanneberger, a gynaecologist and obstetrician, a Caesarean section should have been performed on Kativa.
Her baby boy was declared dead shortly after delivery about 24 hours after she was admitted to the Rundu State hospital.
Tanneberger emphasised that Kativa’s high blood pressure and the prolonged labour should have raised alarm that something was wrong and that a Caesarian section was urgently needed.
Tanneberger maintained that despite the limited facilities at the State hospital, both doctors even though they are not specialists should have identified the need for a surgical delivery.
The two doctors attended to the patient at various times during her prolonged labour but claimed that they did not believe that a surgical intervention was necessary.
Komu delivered the baby using forceps «since the grip of the vacuum [initially used] was not producing good results».
According to his case summary, «the baby was flat at delivery, with a brisk cardiac impulse.There was no spontaneous breathing despite resuscitation efforts.»
He eventually declared the baby dead at 01h35 on October 29.
Tauya hails from Zimbabwe and is still employed at the Rundu State Hospital, while Komu, a Kenyan, is now in private practice.
K and the days of summer
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