Woman’s chilling story of how she lost her baby
After days spent in Dr Yusuf Dadoo public hospital, Nkululeko Nzimande gave birth without assistance from nurses or doctors.
“She took my baby by the legs and threw it into a bucket right in front of me,” Nkululeko Nzimande said as she explained her hellish experience at the Dr Yusuf Dadoo Hospital.
Nkululeko was taken to the hospital on 13 December when her water suddenly broke. She had only been living in Krugersdorp for a month, and didn’t know the town very well. The ambulance staff told her that she couldn’t go to another hospital and took her to Yusuf Dadoo.
A doctor did a sonar scan and was satisfied with her baby’s heartbeat. After a few days her file mostly read “all clear, all good,” Nkululeko claimed. For 10 days she never saw the doctor again, until it was too late.
Yusuf Dadoo related article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/krugersdorp-news/352425/more-horror-stories-of-births-at-yusuf-dadoo-i-had-to-pull-my-baby-out-of-myself/
On the 15th she felt “… something was coming out”. All her attempts to get help from the nurses were met with rudeness and criticism.
“The nurses said I only wanted to give them grief,” she claimed. She was also told to sleep when she said that the baby was coming. She was told that there was only one surgeon for the entire hospital, and that he could not get to her yet.
On the 19th another sonar showed the baby’s heart had stopped but she still wasn’t attended to. She said on the 22nd she couldn’t hold it back any longer. “I was in pain, that’s why I pushed,” she said. Sadly the baby was stillborn.
Yusuf Dadoo related article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/krugersdorp-news/356122/another-yusuf-dadoo-hospital-complaint-hospital-management-gives-lacklustre-response/
Nkululeko said that she didn’t know what to do next or who to turn to. After speaking to the News on 3 January, she lodged a formal complaint with the hospital, but has not reported it to any other authorities. She has also not gone to another hospital for a checkup, citing the fact that Dr Yusuf Dadoo Hospital would not release her file to her as the reason.
Nkululeko couldn’t remember any of the nurses’ or doctors’ names, but said she can remember what they look like.
It should also be noted that Yusuf Dadoo is usually understaffed, but especially so during the festive season.
In the past few years the News has covered multiple stories on Yusuf Dadoo Hospital, which include mothers giving birth without medical assistance, the elderly being mistreated and multiple deaths because of negligence.
Yusuf Dadoo related article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/krugersdorp-news/280741/boys-finger-possibly-to-be-amputated-after-dentists-visit/
Visit the News’ website, https://www.krugersdorpnews.co.za, type Dr Yusuf Dadoo in the search tab to view these articles.
The News contacted the hospital’s public relations officer for comment, but only received the following short reply: “The complainant was reassured that her complaint will receive the attention it deserves from the hospital management, and the investigation process was also explained to the complainant.” It was confirmed that Nkululeko visited the hospital on 3 January to lodge the complaint.
Democratic Alliance Shadow Minister of Health, Jack Bloom also noted that his department often receives countless complaints of this nature about the hospital.
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