The effects were so severe that the girl’s system had to be flushed twice after taking the HIV medication which was wrongfully prescribed.

“The doctor is now blaming the chemist who is blaming the doctor,” a distraught Ms Martha Nkosi told the Observer on Friday, almost a month after her daughter C, became terribly ill because of the medicine.

Ms Nkosi said that she told the chemist at the dispensary that it was the wrong medication, but were bluntly told that Adco Nevirapine was prescribed and that the girl must take her medicine as instructed.

C in the past received Atroiza and Martha says she was reluctant to take the other bottle as it was obviously different

Twenty days after starting the course, a terrible rash formed all over C’s body.

She also started to have terrible fits, which she has lived without for months on Atroiza.

She also developed bleeding blisters in her mouth and the rash later evolved into inflamed sores, covering her entirely from her crown to her toes.

Ms Nkosi says that the doctor who they visited twice last week, had told them that the wrong medication was prescribed.

A clinic matron, identified as sister Mokoena, had also apologized for the mistake last week says Martha.

“I cannot possibly ignore the incident,” Martha says, motivating that her daughter may have died because of the oversight.

Martha says that she will institute legal action against the department which she believes, must compensate her and her daughter for the trauma and pain suffered.

According to the hospital CEO, Mr Philemon Lethlalo, management was also informed about the “mix-up” on Friday.

He calls it a mix-up simply because Martha’s daughter has the same name and surname as another patient and the files got switched.

The Observer only identifies the patient as C, because of privacy regulations surrounding HIV disclosure.

He says that both patients received medicine for HIV, though they presented differently, meaning that their medicines will differ.

Both women came to the hospital for prescriptions to be filled on the same day, Mr Lethlalo says.

The “mix-up” is being investigated, Mr Lethlalo guaranteed.

gerhard@mobserver.co.za