Vosloorus family and hospital pull in different directions
A Vosloorus family who went through a traumatic experience at Thelle Mogoerane Hospital refuses to accept the doctor’s apology, expressing that an apology alone is not enough.
They left the hospital frustrated and disappointed after one of the doctors allegedly refused to help a 69-year-old man from Extension Two, Vosloorus, on January 18.
The hospital met with the family for a redress meeting on February 9 to address the complaint by the family about how their father was treated.
According to Ekurhuleni health district communications officer Joseph Monaheng, the doctor in question was called to the meeting and upon arrival, she extended an apology for how the family felt and explained that she was only trying to deliver health education.
“The family accepted the apology and suggested that the hospital looks at the way it delivers messages moving forward as it will go a long way in changing the perception of government institutions and how services are provided,” said Monaheng.
He said Thelle Mogoerane Hospital encourages members of the public to raise any complaint with the Quality Assurance Unit (QAU) at the hospital if they are unhappy with the level of service delivery.
Should they still be dissatisfied, the grievance can be escalated to the hospital CEO or District Quality Assurance Unit, he added.
Following the family’s engagements with the hospital, Kamogelo, the daughter of the 69-year-old man, confirmed to Kathorus MAIL that the hospital has apologised to the family.
The family only accepted an apology from the hospital; however, they were unmoved by the hospital’s decision to only apologise without taking disciplinary action against the doctor.
Kamogelo said they might have forgiven the hospital but not the doctor in question.
“The statement that the doctor was offering us health education is all a lie. The doctor was very rude and admitted that she was rude,” said Kamogelo.
She expressed their dissatisfaction with the hospital, citing that they only apologised without explaining how they will discipline the doctor.
“They kept on saying sorry and I told them I accept the apology from other doctors and nurses but not that doctor who treated us badly.
“I will never forgive and forget what she put my family through because the worst could have happened. I nearly lost my job because of the trauma she had put me through,” she continued.
“On top of their apology, they did not even offer us counselling even after we told them how much this whole thing stressed and traumatised us.
“We still have flashbacks of that day, which are very disturbing,” she said.
Background story
Kamogelo (37) said she brought her father in the casualty in a critical condition at Thelle Mogoerane Hospital on January 18.
According to Kamogelo, she almost lost her father when a doctor refused to help them. Her father had a kidney failure, and he is also a cardio patient, she explained.
She said the doctor, Deorain Sasha, was very rude, disrespectful, unethical, unprofessional and negligent.
They managed to get assistance after reporting the matter to the QAU.
She confirmed that her father received treatment, and he is recovering well at home; however, she is worried that the doctor will continue to mistreat other patients as she did her father.
