The first prosecution witness in the trial of a couple charged with a count each of manslaughter arising from the breach of their duties told the Suva High Court that she told the mother of the child that pneumonia can kill her baby.
34-year-old Petero Taitusi and 29-year-old Loata Vitalina of Sawanikula, Dawasamu allegedly failed to ensure the safety of their 1 year 10 month old child which caused the child’s death.
The court was told that Vitalina took the baby to the Samabula Health Centre on the 19th February, 2013.
Taina Maresela who is a staff nurse at the Samabula Health Centre told the court that after assessing the baby she told the mother that the child had pneumonia.
The prosecution witness said that the baby had visited Samabula Health Centre six times.
She told the court that it is not normal for a baby of that age to get sick that many times.
Maresela told the court that she did not give the hookworm tablets when the mother asked for it because when she came to know the name of the baby, she recalled that the child is sickly.
The witness told the court that the doctor on duty told her to refer the child to the CWM children’s outpatients unit.
Maresela told the court that she made the arrangement with the ambulance for the baby to be transferred to the CWM children’s outpatients unit but the mother of the baby told her that they will go in the taxi because it was easy and they had enough money.
She told the court that while she was making calls to check on the ambulance, the mother left the health centre with the baby.
During cross examination, it was put to the witness that on the 20th February, 2013 the same doctor that was on duty the day before had asked her to call and follow up with the baby as he did not arrive at the CWM hospital.
Maresela replied and said that she could not recall this.
It was then put to Maresela that she did not follow the instruction of the doctor to follow up with the child.
Maresela also told the court that she could not recall this.
The trial will continue today.
