Docs go to court to help baby

2005-10-25 08:38

Johannesburg - Doctors at Pretoria Academic Hospital have obtained an urgent court order enabling them to give a month-old baby a blood transfusion, The Pretoria News reported on Tuesday.

It said the doctors felt the life of the infant - one of twins - was at stake.

The baby's family, who live in Sunnyside and are Jehovah's Witnesses, were deeply distressed by the turn of events.

The baby's grandmother said the hospital knew about the family's faith and the fact blood transfusion was against their religion.

The twins were born on September 20 and were premature.

They were placed in an incubator but one boy developed complications. He became anaemic and doctors told the family he needed a blood transfusion urgently.

Family adamant about transfusion

"I told them that I'd signed a form during admission that transfusions are against our religion," the grandmother said.

"I eventually even got our priest to explain the situation to them. I told them we would rather pray and hope he would survive."

The grandmother said infant's condition improved somewhat but deteriorated a week later, prompting doctors to once again insist on a transfusion.

The family again refused.

On Saturday night, doctors asked Pretoria High Court to override the family's wishes that the child should not be given a transfusion.

Before granting the order, the judge also heard from the family, who persisted they opposed a transfusion.

The grandmother said she hadn't detected a change in the baby's condition by Monday afternoon. He was still attached to a ventilator. The other twin was doing fine.

Pretoria Academic Hospital declined to comment.

- SAPA