Midwives at the National Hospital Guido Valadares (HGNV) have been forced to use torch functions on mobile phones to light delivery rooms, according the Member of Parliament (MP) Josefa Alvares Pereira Soares.
MP Soares said HNGV did not have a backup generation to provide electricity during power cuts.
“I think we feel slightly embarrassed when a midwife has to use a phone’s torch,” she said.
She said she was concerned by news that the National Parliament had allocated only 6 per cent of the national budget to the Ministry of Health to overcome the problems which affect the ministry’s ability to provide services.
She urged the ministry to provide facilities with the budget available.
HNGV general director Jose Antonio Zeto said he had not heard of phone torches being used in this fashion since joining the hospital in 2005.
“I’m in shock; I’m an obstetrician as well,” he said.
“I just left the maternity ward for three weeks.”
He said there were four working lamps in the delivery room.
“I have called and asked the midwife who gave the information,” he said.
“She didn’t answer so this information is untrue.”
