A woman went into labor and gave birth to a girl in front of the Bárbara Heliodora Maternity Hospital, in Rio Branco, Brazil, this Tuesday, on 25 January. A video circulating on social media shows the baby on the sidewalk floor crying as the woman stands to the side.
A resident who was passing by witnessed the scene and said he even asked for help at the hospital, but reception staff refused.
The man, who preferred not to be identified, said that the woman possibly lives on the streets, and that she even tried to attend the maternity ward, but failed. She then went down the stairs of the health unit and, next to the parked one, the baby was born.
“The woman had a baby at the door of the maternity hospital. I went there, called the guys at the reception and nobody wanted to help. I believe she is homeless, I have not seen her with anyone. A woman came, she ran, took a towel from the bag and took the baby and I took the wheelchair and took her. I got up there and they didn't want to see her because there had to be someone in charge, but I left her there. She has to be attended to, she is a human being,” said the resident.
Maternity gets the facts
The general manager of Maternity, Laura Pontes, reported that the baby is doing well and is being monitored by a pediatrician. The mother, on the other hand, must be accompanied by a psychiatrist.
“When the patient was admitted to the maternity ward, she was already welcomed, the baby is doing well, healthy and the pediatrician is already following up. Regarding the mother, we are requesting psychiatric follow-up, she has a disorganized speech, does not accept that she was pregnant and does not want to see the baby. So, we had to be careful to ask for a psychiatrist”, said the manager.
According to Laura, the woman is receiving social and psychological care.
“She doesn't know where she lives, she says she has no family. We are having this difficulty finding family members so we can continue. We have already contacted the Guardianship Council and the Public Prosecutor's Office to provide the necessary care for the mother and baby.”
Regarding the information from popular people that maternity employees would have denied care for the woman, the manager said that everything is being investigated.
“We are investigating how this birth took place in front of the maternity hospital. I'm even here at the front talking to people. What happened was that she had the baby in front of the maternity hospital. What I'm investigating is precisely to find out who addressed this distress call here inside the unit. I am investigating this situation, and if there was a negative, we will take the appropriate measures”, he concluded.
