UDM deputy accuses health dept of discharging his aunt with Covid-19, only for her to die
United Democratic Movement deputy president and chief whip Nqabayomzi Kwankwa has accused the Eastern Cape health department and its workers of negligence following his aunt's death after she was discharged from hospital despite being suspected to have Covid-19.
In a letter written to the province’s premier, Oscar Mabuyane, on Wednesday, Kwankwa said he had informed health MEC Sindiswa Gomba about the matter after his aunt died on Tuesday following her diagnosis with tuberculosis.
“I write this letter not only because of my family’s personal tragedy and unbearable experience at the hands of some Eastern Cape health workers, but also because our experience concerns potentially thousands of South Africans and has an impact on the spread of the coronavirus in the Eastern Cape,” he said.
The chief whip said his aunt developed difficulty breathing and was admitted to Grey Provincial Hospital in King William’s Town, then transferred to Bhisho Provincial Hospital and later S.S Gida Hospital in Keiskammahoek, even though it was suspected she had contracted the virus.
“As a family we are sad, but we are angry too, as we were sent from pillar to post by what seems an incompetent Eastern Cape healthcare system, which resulted in my aunt paying with her life. The poor level of treatment at Grey Provincial Hospital and Bhisho Provincial Hospital’s refusal to treat my aunt leaves much to be desired.
“They dropped the ball and it had fatal consequences. Patient confidentiality aside, I am not convinced that the necessary interventions were made, and precautionary measures taken, at some of the medical facilities my aunt was treated at,” the chief whip said.
Kwankwa said that his cousin, who had to carry his mother’s “sickly body”, was an employee at a shopping centre in King William’s Town.
“If he possibly contracted the coronavirus from his mother, the impact of his interaction with staff members and the public is cause for serious concern. He could inadvertently be a node for the wildfire spread of Covid-19 in King William’s Town.
“I would humbly suggest that the shopping centre’s management be contacted as soon as possible so that they may test their staff for Covid-19 and rush to take other precautionary measures needed.”
The UDM deputy president said his family had planned to bury his aunt on Thursday as they were told to bury her after three days.
“We have been made to understand that, as a precautionary measure, my aunt might have to be buried as if she had indeed contracted Covid-19 and that this must happen within three days of her death.
“We are, however, now confronted with a situation that the authorities are refusing to release her body to the family until the results of the 3 May test are known,” he said.
Kwankwa urged Mabuyane to conduct an investigation into the situation at the hospitals and make the report public, with clear recommendations on what the consequences would be.
Read the letter on Scribd below:
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