Family demands answers about daughter’s death at Matikwana Hospital
A video showing a woman dying is gaining traction on social media platforms and has put the Matikwana Hospital in the spotlight for alleged negligence.
As shocking allegations emerge that a doctor recorded a video of a woman dying, her family continues to seek justice over an incident that took place at Matikwana Hospital.
Expectant mother, Matilda Singwayo, died last year after she felt unwell and went to the hospital. According to her family, they were shocked that the doctor had time to take a video of her while she was in pain and dying instead of tending to her.
In a video that went viral and was put together by Sheriffa Singwayo, Matilda’s sister, she can be seen at home before leaving for the hospital. Later in the video Matilda can be seen lying on a hospital bed. “I posted the video on my social media platforms so that the public and right stakeholders can see the injustice my sister experienced the day she died. We do not understand why the doctor had time to take that video while my sister was in that state. When we got to the hospital he showed us the video and said we can take a video of his phone since he cannot send it to us. He did not give us his name.”
Sheriffa said the family is not happy with how the hospital handled the matter.
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Matilda’s mother, Lydia Mkhabela, said her daughter went to the hospital on April 6, 2024, and went home after her consultation. However, later that day she was not feeling well so she went back to the hospital, and she was admitted.
Mkhabela received a call from a nurse at around 19:30 the next evening, informing her that Matilda had had a caesarean section at around 15:00 and died a while later. The nurse went on to assure her that the baby was alive and healthy.
“I do not understand how they performed surgery on my daughter without getting any consent from the family. A doctor confirmed at around 22:00 that Matilda had died. I want answers from the hospital about what exactly happened to her, my heart is not at ease,” she said.
The deceased’s family have been going to the Matikwana Hospital, requesting her file, but they have been turned away every time.
The newspaper contacted the Mpumalanga Department of Health’s spokesperson, Dumisani Malamule, who said that they are aware of the situation and that they are not taking it lightly. An investigation into the matter is under way. “There is no conclusive cause of death yet,” he said.
When asked about the doctor capturing the video, Malamule said: “Doctors can only take videos for medical care, for example, if required for further consultation with a third party or doctor at a referral hospital.”
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With regards to it being ethical to capture a video of a patient, he said: “It depends on the rationale for taking the video. If it is for medical reasons, it is ethical; if it is not, then it is unethical.”
Malamule could not confirm if the doctor who recorded the video still works at Matikwana Hospital.
