Hospital staff build patient a wheelchair ramp

On Wednesday, June 8, Tembisa Hospital staff built a ramp for a patient to have easier accessibility to her house.

Ntombikayise Sibisi received the gesture as a beneficiary of Tembisa Hospital’s giving back to the community initiative.

Late last year the 20-year-old Ntombikayise Sibisi was suffering from gangrene in her right foot.

“Ntombikayise was admitted to Tembisa Hospital and had an above the right knee amputation as a result of the gangrene,” said Tembisa Hospital’s spokesperson, Mr Lesibana Ledwaba.

“Ntombikayise also suffered a stroke on the left side of the body. The left leg also started to become gangrenous.”

Mr Ledwaba said while in hospital, Ntombikayise was attended to by physiotherapists and occupational therapists, who later visited her home for an assessment in view of issuing her with a wheelchair.

He said the home assessment findings revealed that Ntombikayise’s mother was responsible for carrying her around, even to the toilet.

“In the interim she was issued with a manual wheelchair,” said Mr Ledwaba.

“I would always have to put the wheelchair outside the yard and then carry her on my back because we could not push the wheelchair into the yard,” said Ntombikayise’s mother Ms Doris Sikhakhane

“The suitable wheelchair for her condition was found to be a battery operated wheelchair but the home environment did not comply with the accessibility specifications for motorised wheelchairs,” said Mr Ledwaba..

“The toilet is also not wheelchair friendly,” said Mr Ledwaba.

The spokesperson said since Ntombikayise’s family could not afford to build a wheelchair ramp, the Tembisa Hospital occupational therapy department’s staff donated building material and labour to help build a ramp.

“I am happy because I will now be able to go to the shops without being pushed. I will also visit my friends,” said Ntombikayise.

“I want to thank Tembisa Hospital for caring, especially the occupational therapy department,” said Doris.

The head of department (HOD) and her deputy led the project as they are qualified with regardd to the proper measurements of the ramp height, length and width according to ramp gradient (accessibility requirement for the ramp).

The building of the ramp will assist Ntombikayise to move independently around her home in the interim but a permanent solution is required.

“We make a humble request to local businesses to fund and donate building material to assist in building a permanent structure (ramp), and in addition to construct a toilet that is wheelchair friendly,” said the Tembisa Hospital occupational therapy HOD Ms Tsakani Makobela and the CEO Dr Lekopane Mogaladi.

Businesses willing to assist can call Mr Ledwaba at the Tembisa Hospital on 011 923-2199.