Ordeal in labour ward causes nightmares

A local woman claims that while she was in labour she was abused by Leratong Hospital staff. They allegedly even told her that she was going to die there.

Kami Alli went into labour on April 20 when she was 40 weeks pregnant. “My water didn’t break and my contractions were irregular.”

She was admitted to Leratong Hospital for the night but was discharged the next day and told that it was only false labour. She was informed to come back if the pain became worse.

“That night the pain got worse, but I felt something was wrong. I went to the labour ward and there was an old nurse who didn’t give me a chance to explain what was happening. She shouted at me.”

She did not feel comfortable because a nurse whom she had complained about before was in the ward as well. One nurse then examined her, but Kami said it did not feel normal and it hurt.

“I didn’t have a good feeling that night, as my labour pains got worse. The belt they put on me to check the baby’s heartbeat was so tight.”

Eventually Kami’s water broke. She was moaning because of the pain, but a nurse started hitting her. She told her to shut up and stop making a noise.

Kami said she heard a male nurse who checked on the patients tell the other nurses that she was not being treated right.

“I begged him not to leave me and then I heard them slapping another lady in the bed next to mine. She was in so much pain. That night I thought I was going to die with my baby. The young nurse kept laughing at me.”

She said she seriously considered running out of the hospital that night but she knew she couldn’t.

After a while she was told that she was not dilating and there seemed to be complications. The nurses allegedly called the doctor who didn’t come.

“The male nurse said to them to call the doctor again, but they said no, it wasn’t their problem that the doctor probably forgot to come and I must die.”

After a while Kami said they were left alone and there were no nurses. She was left in pain but eventually she was given medicine and fell asleep. She woke up to hear that she was to undergo a C-section because the baby was in distress.

“Everything was happening so quickly. I was in theatre and felt I was going to die, thinking of my eight-year-old at home. I prayed so hard that night.”

The C-section was a success and Kami was grateful that she and her baby were alive; but the whole ordeal had left her with nightmares at night.

The News reached out to the Leratong Hospital for comment on Kami’s complaint, and Fikile Oyekanmi, their senior communications officer responded by saying, “Leratong Hospital acknowledges receipt of complaint by Ms. Alli. We are aware of the complaint and because of the number of people involved, we need statements from each as part of our complaints management procedure. There has been delay in this regard; however, we are doing our best to expedite the process. We will be in touch with Ms Alli to give her full feedback and the way forward.”