Woman dies after being turned away from hospitals

A 25-year-old woman died after being hit by a car in Sandown, Johannesburg on Monday morning and then being turned away by two state hospitals, officials said.

“In the early hours of this morning [Monday], a pedestrian was injured on the corners of Grayston and Katherine drives in Sandown,” Morningside Medi-Clinic said in a statement.

“The 25-year-old woman, Mrs Mavis Ncube, was hit by a vehicle. The patient was transported by ambulance to Morningside MediClinic, but passed away shortly after admission due to extensive injuries.”

ER24 spokesperson Werner Vermaak earlier said its paramedics responded to the accident at about 6.30am.

“When paramedics arrived on the scene they found a female patient that was in a critical and unstable condition.

The patient sustained multiple injuries to her head as well as her pelvis and lower limbs.”

Vermaak said paramedics tried to stabilise her and then contacted the closest hospital to confirm it could accept the patient.

“Charlotte Maxexe Hospital was the closest appropriate provincial hospital at the time and thus was contacted.

“Unfortunately the hospital’s emergency ward was already full with critical patients and therefore other provincial hospitals in the area were contacted, but none could accept the patient,” said Vermaak.

“ER24 contacted the metro control to confirm which hospitals are open and available for critical patients. With this information, numerous hospitals were contacted and no hospital in the area could accept the patient.”

A second ambulance was sent to the scene just before 7.50am, almost an hour-and-a-half after the accident occurred.

The paramedics then arranged for the patient to be stabilised at Morningside MediClinic, a private hospital. The hospital’s spokesperson, Monica Smith, declined to say what time Ncube was admitted.

Gauteng health spokesperson Mandla Sidu confirmed that the woman was turned away by two state hospitals.

“We are still gathering information as to why she was turned away,” said Sidu.

“We are trying to ascertain if it had anything to do with the doctors’ strike,” he added, referring to an ongoing illegal strike by some state doctors protesting against low salaries and poor working conditions.

He said the Health Department would issue a statement later on Monday.—Sapa