Mothers blame Evander Hospital for injured toddlers

eMBALENHLE – The mothers of two small children are blaming staff at Evander Hospital for injuring their toddlers when drips were inserted into veins in their heads.

Five-year-old Keitumetse Beoana may not go outside without wearing a hat for fear of skin cancer.

She was only two years old when she sustained burns and her mother, Ms Relebohile Beoana, had to take her to hospital. This happened three years ago.

Keitumetse had burns on her arms and legs from boiling water.

Ms Beoana said a doctor inserted a drip into Keitumetse’s head and admitted her to the hospital.

“It was traumatising to see nurses use force to inject my child in her head,” explained Ms Beoana.

“The next day, my child’s eyes were swollen but the nurse insisted that I only change Keitumetse and then turn her on her other side.”

Ms Beoana said only after Keitumetse’s eyes were swollen shut, had the hospital transferred her to Ermelo Hospital.

“When a doctor asked about Keitumetse’s injured head, I explained what had happened. He then sent us back to Evander Hospital, stating that he cannot help us because the situation had worsened.”

This child was then referred to Witbank Hospital where skin graphs were done but it was unsuccessful.

The toddler was again referred to Kalafong Hospital in Gauteng where another skin graph was done successfully.

Ms Beoana took the matter to the Evander Hospital CEO at the time and was promised that the matter would be investigated, but nothing has happened till now.

“My child’s hair only grows on one side of her head. I still cannot understand why they would insert a drip into my daughter’s head when she had burns on her arms and legs,” said Ms Beoana.

Another mother, Ms Thulile Mthethwa, on referral from the clinic, took her one-year-old son, Lwakhe, to Evander Hospital last year with a runny tummy and vomiting.

“After my child was admitted to Evander Hospital, a nurse told me that Lwakhe was severely dehydrated and that she could not find veins elsewhere.

“I agreed that they cut his hair and administer a drip.

“I then saw how a nurse, in search of a vein, pushed a needle into my son’s head numerous times before she was successful.”

According to Ms Mthethwa, they were then taken to a ward where she noticed that the little boy’s head and neck were swelling up.

“I reported it to the nurses, but I was ignored. Later, when they attended to him, his eyes were swollen and closed,” said Ms Mthethwa.

When the toddler was eventually discharged, Ms Mthethwa told the staff that her child had sustained injuries while at the hospital.

“They told me to apply Vaseline to his wounds,” she said.

The women now want justice for their innocent children.

Evander Hospital CEO, Ms Madala Ndlovu, said she cannot comment because the matter is at the Mpumalanga MEC for Health, Ms Sesekane Manzini.

Ridge Times contacted the Mpumalanga Department of Health with questions, but have not yet received comment at the time of going to press.