Port Elizabeth - Strict religious beliefs nearly claimed the life of a 14-day-old baby at the weekend.
The Legal Aid Board and Port Elizabeth High Court had to intervene on Friday night to save the life of a baby boy.
Dave McGlew of the Legal Aid Board in Port Elizabeth said the baby was born 10 weeks premature on June 23.
He had to have an urgent blood transfusion, but the religious beliefs of his parents, who are Jehovah's Witnesses, did not allow it.
Jehovah's Witnesses keep strictly to the Bible's decree that no form of blood may be eaten. They believe this is applicable also to the storage and transfusion of blood.
McGlew said Netcare Greenacres Hospital, where the baby was being treated, asked for legal aid and the case eventually ended up at the Legal Aid Board.
Court ordered transfusion
According to a statement, advocate Lilla Crouse of the Legal Aid Board had to act quickly to ensure that a judge, a registrar and a stenographer reported to the court at 18:00 to hear an urgent application and a paediatrician was asked to testify.
The court ordered at 19:00 that a blood transfusion should be done.
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