Alex Matlala

Alex Matlala

Two nurses and a doctor attached to the St Rita's Hospital in Limpopo might find themselves jobless after allegedly giving a newborn baby HIV-Aids tablets.

The nurses allegedly gave Nevirapine tablets to the baby for three days just after birth without first checking whether the baby was infected with the virus.

According to information, the mother of the baby went to the hospital to give birth to the baby. She was admitted to the labour ward and lost a lot of blood during delivery.

The baby was taken to the neonatal unit. A nursing sister in the labour ward allegedly verbally instructed a neonatal unit nurse to give the baby the tablets without a doctor's prescription.

The following day the doctor allegedly prescribed medication without first checking on the baby's status.

Nurses continued giving the prescribed medication to the baby for for three days . The baby's uncle, a nurse in the hospital, found out what was going on and lodged a complaint with hospital management.

The doctor confirmed that the mother was HIV negative .

According to a letter in Sowetan's possession a nurse gave 0,6mg Nevirapine and 1,2mg AZT to the baby without checking the prescription.

The 18-year-old mother of the baby, Gloria Moganedi, said yesterday she had been told that her baby could become resistant to Nevirapine if exposed to HIV later in life.

Provincial department of health spokesman Phuti Seloba said his department was investigating.