MPUMALANGA Health MEC Sibongile Manana has ordered a full investigation into the province’s second largest hospital following the crippling of at least three children during botched operations.
Outraged parents have accused Themba Hospital near White River of attempting to cover-up negligence and malpractice by both doctors and nurses during routine operations in 1996.
Manana said in a statement on Monday that she was deeply concerned about conditions at the hospital and that a full investigation had been ordered into the “mysterious circumstances” surrounding the birth of Felicia Maseko in 1996.
Four-year old Maseko was left retarded, deaf, partially blind and mute after nurses allegedly crushed her skull while using forceps during her birth.
“You can still see the holes in her head from those things. No one wants to tell me what happened, and I eventually had to go to a private doctor to learn what was wrong. Most other children are walking and talking at this age, but I have been forced to buy her a pram and still dress her in nappies,” said her angry guardian, grandmother Cornelia Lindani.
“We go to physiotherapy instead of the playground. She will never have a normal life, and nor will the rest of her family. She is my burden until I die.”
The investigation will also probe the circumstances surrounding botched operations that left Themba Methule and Bheki Mokoena also severely brain-damaged quadriplegics.
The boys, now 10 and 13 years old, were normal when they were admitted to the hospital for routine operations to have their broken arms set in 1996.
Methule’s grandmother, Eva, has used her pension grant to fight for justice since 1996 after the hospital refused to accept responsibility for the injuries, refused to give Themba any therapy, compensation or even a wheelchair.
The attitude so outraged Methule that she also turned to the media and South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to probe the incident earlier this year.
Mokoena’s parents also finally turned to the courts for justice this year after the hospital allegedly ignored their requests for an apology and compensation to cover their mounting medical bills.
Both boys are so badly damaged that family doctors doubt they’ll live to see their 26th birthdays.
Provincial health representative Dumisani Mlangeni said on Monday that preliminary investigations into all three incidents had already been completed by the health department’s legal section.
“A report will be made to MEC Manana, who will use the report to decide how to rectify any problems. It should be noted that the hospital records did not explain in full the alleged injuries to [Maseko],” said Mlangeni.
Mlangeni also stressed that all three cases occurred in 1996 and called on surrounding communities to continue using Themba Hospital, despite its portrayal as the “hospital of hell”.
“This is a big hospital and has committed medical practitioners who are making genuine efforts towards health service delivery,” he said.
“Problems will surface as government battles with the transformation of health care services. The challenge is how we, as [individuals] and government, respond to these problems.” – African Eye News Service
ZA*NOW:
Mpumalanga health MEC to explain negligence March 5, 2001
Second boy brain damaged at ?hell hospital? February 14, 2001
Justice in sight for crippled boy February 6, 2001