Boy suffering from 96 per cent burn wounds dies
He died within an hour of arrival in Cape Town.
HIGHVELD – A boy who had sustained 96 per cent burn wounds in a shack fire, has died in the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town on Thursday, 18 August.
The 11-year-old Vusi Shabangu burned in a shack fire in July.
His sibling died in the fire.
According to the doctors, Vusi succumbed to overwhelming pseudomonas sepsis, an infection in the wounds.
Sasol Secunda and the Red Cross Children’s Hospital offered their services to have the boy admitted to the hospital and he was flown there.
Mr Dumisani Malamule, spokesman of the Department of Health, said: “Due to the seriousness of the boy’s condition, the department contacted the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town on 15 August to request them to admit him.
“This was after several hospitals in other provinces could not provide assistance.
“The hospital agreed and was committed to treat the patient for free, though there is no memorandum of understanding between the Mpumalanga and Western Cape’s Departments of Health.
“The department was only requested to take full responsibility of the transportation of the patient from Evander Hospital to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital.
“The department asked for a quotation from Halo Aviation to and from Western Cape.
“Because R463 231-94 was needed, the department sought for sponsors and Sasol then committed itself to take full responsibility for the payment of the transportation costs to and from the Western Cape.”
Mr Gillion Mashego, MEC for Health in Mpumalanga, conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family and thanked Sasol and the Red Cross Children Hospital in Cape Town for their efforts.
