Grieving parents demand answers after baby dies

What should have been a joyful Christmas for the Vana family instead became a week of unimaginable grief, as they mourn the loss of their six-month-old baby boy.

Baby, Samisoni Vanaratuvou died in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The parents say they are now searching for answers, and justice.

Baby Samisoni's mother, Sainiana Ratuvou, says she is heartbroken and angry, believing her baby did not receive the urgent care she needed at Qarani Health Centre on Gau.

The couple had filed a police report shortly after their daughter's death.

The family had travelled from Viti Levu to spend Christmas with relatives in Nawaikama Village, where baby Samisoni first developed diarrhoea last Sunday.

On Monday morning, they took the baby to the health centre.

Ms Ratuvou said their pleas for medical attention were left unanswered for far too long before the doctor prescribed only panadol, telling them to give the baby "nothing except milk".

By Monday evening, baby Samisoni's condition worsened. He began struggling to breathe and was rushed back to the clinic just before midnight.

Ms Ratuvou said she watched in fear as medical staff struggled with even the simplest tasks.

"It almost seemed like the doctor and nurse had no idea what they were doing," she said.

"It took them so long to find his veins. The drip was slow, and the nebuliser was not fitted properly. There was no sense of urgency. I even had to ask them to help hold the nebuliser."

The uncle, Samisoni Vana, begged for a helicopter transfer to Levuka Hospital.

He said the doctor told him that this would only be possible the following day. Hours later, around 4am, baby Samisoni died in the clinic.

His body was then transported to Levuka Hospital after sunrise, arriving at 10am for a post-mortem examination.

With no morgue available, his body was returned just three hours later and buried that same afternoon, at 4pm.

The family says the post-mortem indicated dehydration.

However, they w e r e shocked when the attending doctor reportedly questioned how dehydration was linked to a cough.

"We never brought baby Samisoni in for a cough, but for diarrhoea," Ms Ratuvou said.

"Hearing that made everything so much worse. It feels like she was misdiagnosed."

Mr Vana is now urging the Government to ensure that health centres serving rural communities are properly equipped.

"No child should die over issues like this. We do not want another family going through what we are facing," he said.

This masthead attempted to obtain comment from the doctor in charge of Qarani Health Centre, but there was no response.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Health confirmed on social media that it is aware of the incident and is awaiting a formal complaint from the family before launching an investigation.

The Ratuvou family say their plans to celebrate New Year in their village have ended abruptly. Instead, they return to Viti Levu, carrying only memories, grief, and questions no family should ever have to ask.