Sandra Ainebyoona.
Kampala, Uganda – The High Court Civil Division in Kampala has issued an order for DNA testing of a three-month-old baby at the center of a legal battle involving Rosewell Women and Children’s Hospital. The case revolves around allegations of the illegal detention of a baby named Khyrst Alinda, whose parents, Bridgers Alinda Mugyenyi and Saloome Aturinde, filed a lawsuit against the hospital seeking justice for their detained child.
The parents’ plea for court intervention comes after their baby was reportedly held captive for a span of four months due to a disputed bill amounting to sh4.36 million. The hospital initially presented the couple with a bill totaling sh9.56 million after recommending a cesarean birth for Aturinde, resulting in the infant’s extended stay in the hospital’s nursery. Mugyenyi, the father, maintains that he paid sh5.9 million, denouncing the hospital’s detention of his wife and child.
Mugyenyi recounts his appeals to the hospital staff for the infant’s release, stressing the importance of a mother’s care. Aturinde, sharing her husband’s sentiments, reveals that the prolonged detention deprived her of breastfeeding and constituted inhumane treatment and psychological suffering. The hospital’s alleged threats to sell the baby if the bills remained unpaid heightened the couple’s distress, underscoring concerns about the infant’s well-being.
A press statement released by Roswell Women & Children’s Hospital explained that after presenting the medical bills to Ms. Aturinde Saloome on May 15, 2023, she left the hospital, assuring her return to settle the dues. However, both parents did not return to the hospital, prompting the hospital to trace the baby’s grandparents, who indicated that the child had passed away and been buried. Unable to contact the parents, the hospital reported a case of child desertion to the Central Police Station Kampala.
In response to a directive from Justice Esta Nambayo to produce the baby in court, the hospital presented a three-month-old baby, asserting it was Khyrst Alinda. However, Aturinde expressed skepticism about the baby’s identity and requested a DNA test to verify its authenticity. Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, Justice Esta Nambayo postponed the proceedings until the DNA test results are available. The court has scheduled September 6th, 2023, for the presentation of the DNA report, a crucial step in clarifying the matter at hand.
