Liberty Dube
Post Correspondent
A BIZARRE baby-exchanging scandal has rocked Chipinge District Hospital after a post-partum mother last week gave birth to a bouncing baby boy, only to find herself cuddling a girl the following morning.
The shocking incident has sent tongues wagging in Chipinge, with chagrined residents demanding thorough investigations, and subsequent arrest of the culprits that orchestrated the amoral baby exchange.
Birth records at hand confirm that Ms Cynthia Masocha delivered a baby boy on September 21 at Chipinge District Hospital through normal birth.
She was assisted to deliver by Blessing Mutimbu, after which the baby was allegedly raised in front of her to confirm the sex.
The woman proceeded to breastfeed her son before retiring to sleep.
The following morning, Ms Masocha was met with more than she had bargained for when she checked the baby’s nappies.
She noticed that the baby had been swapped with a girl, much to her shock and disbelief.
Chipinge District Medical Officer, Dr Ozmore Matekenya said he was still to get finer details of the incident.
“I heard about that issue, but I cannot give you a comment right now as I am attending a workshop in Mutare. I will get back to you when I get the finer details,” he said.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the incident, saying investigations are in progress to unravel the mystery behind the alleged baby swap.
No arrests have been made so far.
Assistant Inspector Chinyoka said deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) tests are set to be conducted on various parties to establish the paternity of the baby at the centre of the controversy.
“On September 21, at around 8pm, Ms Masocha delivered a baby boy at Chipinge District Hospital through normal birth. Immediately after delivery, Blessing Mutimbu who assisted her in giving birth lifted the newborn baby in front of the mother for confirmation of the baby’s sex as per the hospital procedure. Ms Masocha saw and acknowledged that her new1born baby was a male child, and Mutimbu then dressed up the baby, and recorded him as a boy in the hospital records before returning the baby to its mother.
“In happiness, Ms Masocha called her husband, Mr Tavonga Masi, telling him that she had safely delivered a baby boy. Ms Masocha slept on the same bed with her baby, and did not change his nappies during the night. On September 22, Mr Masi visited Ms Masocha in the maternity ward to see their new baby. He did not stay for long, and left without checking the baby’s sex. On the same day around 10am, Ms Masocha checked her baby’s nappies, and discovered that the baby was a girl.
“In a state of shock, Ms Masocha checked the hospital record book, and noted that, indeed, the baby had been recorded as a boy. She called Mr Masi to inquire about the discrepancy, but did not get any satisfactory answers, and reported the matter to the police. The scene was attended by the police,” said Assistant Inspector Chinyoka.
Hospital birth records confirmed that the woman had, indeed, delivered a baby boy.
The records further revealed that three women, including Ms Masocha, had delivered at the hospital on the same date.
Of the three, only Ms Masocha had delivered a baby boy.
“So far no suspect has been picked for questioning. As we speak, detectives are on the ground investigating the matter to ascertain what really transpired,” said Assistant Inspector Chinyoka.
This is not the first time such an incident has happened at the hospital.
In 2018, a 21-year-old Chipinge woman did the unthinkable when she posed as a Good Samaritan to a ‘post-partum mother’ and later stole her five-day-old baby in a desperate bid to save her own marriage.
Joyce Maputire, of Chikwakwate Village, under Chief Muusha, stole a polydactyl baby boy belonging to Ms Memory Mhlanga at Chipinge District Hospital.
Polydactyl is a condition of having extra fingers, and the baby had 12 fingers.
The baby was set to undergo a surgical operation at the hospital when the incident happened.
Maputire was convicted on her own plea of guilty by then Chipinge magistrate, Mr Poterai Gwezhira, of kidnapping as defined in Section 193(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.
