Infant dies after Praktiseer Clinic allegedly turn mother away
Tebogo Padima just wants lessons to be learnt so no other family has to go through this same ordeal.
A two-month-old child Revival Padima, died after she was allegedly turned away at the Praktiseer Clinic on March 28.
According to her mother, Tebogo Padima of Ga-Motodi Village, the infant was bleeding from her nose. When Tebogo spoke to this publication, she said she was in the Praktiseer area when she saw her baby’s nose was bleeding.
“It was at around 11:00. I immediately rushed to the Praktiseer Clinic, which was the closest to me. There, the nurses asked where I was receiving my treatment for chronic diseases and where I did my postnatal care and check-ups for the baby. I told them it was at the Ga-Motodi Clinic, and they told me to go there to get medical help, as they did not have my baby’s medical file,” she said.
Tebogo had to walk more than six kilometres from Praktiseer to Ga-Motodi Clinic, as she did not have taxi fare.
“Unfortunately, by the time I arrived at the clinic, my baby was declared dead by the healthcare workers,” she said.
Asked about the treatment she received at Praktiseer Clinic, Tebogo said the healthcare workers are supposed to save lives. “For me it looks like they try by all means to avoid assisting patients. Who knows, had they assisted me, maybe Revival would still be alive. I just want lessons to be learnt and we don’t want any other family to go through everything that we’ve been through, because it’s just devastating.”
Photos: Gilbert Motseo
Little Revival Padima,was buried in Ga-Motodi on April 1.
This publication questioned the Limpopo health spokesperson, Neil Shikwambana, about circumstances that can make a clinic turn away patients. The newspaper, also asked Shikwambana what the department would do to ensure local clinics render satisfactory services. He has yet to respond to the queries at the time of publishing.
However, Tebogo said two representatives from the provincial Department of Health visited her home on April 1 to conduct their investigations on the matter.
ALSO READ: Patients concerned about poor service at Praktiseer Clinic
In a similar incident in September 2023, some community members in Praktiseer raised concerns about the shortage of nurses and the long queues at the clinic.
