Elderly patient’s ordeal calls DA to action

Democratic Alliance (DA) Members of Parliament Lindy Wilson and Risham Maharaj stepped in on Monday to assist after a cry of help was received from a despondent 78- year-old Grobersdal resident.
According to Wilson, they found the elderly Elizabeth Purcell in the nurses’ station of the Mankweng hospital where she had been waiting to be admitted for more than two hours after being transferred from Groblerdal Hospital by an ambulance. According to Wilson, the nurses could not admit Purcell before she was seen by a doctor. It was explained that some were operating and the two assigned to patients were still busy.
Purcell explained that she broke her femur on 16 June and was admitted to Groblersdal Hospital. She was then transferred to Mankweng Hospital by the department’s ambulances on 12, 18, 23 and 30 July but sent back to Groblersdal every time. She was also transferred to Philadelphia Hospital on 19 and 21 July only to be sent back to Groblersdal Hospital. At Philadelphia she was informed that she suffered from a heart condition.
Purcell said that she was in traction all the time and that it was extremely painful. “I can still not understand why they transferred me every time if they could not perform the necessary operation,” Purcell said.
After the arrival of the journalist of Polo­kwane Observer, it took another two hours after a doctor finally arrived and Purcell was admitted and taken to a ward.
Wilson’s attempts on Tuesday to establish whether Purcell had undergone surgery were unsuccessful.
Mankweng Hospital was not at liberty to disclose information regarding Purcel. Department of Health spokesperson, Neil Shikwambana did not answer his phone or respond to messages at time of going to press.

Story/photo: BARRY VILJOEN
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