Witpoortjie resident agonises over treatment suffered by his aunt in KZN hospital video
“Instead of wasting money on keeping people off the beaches, use the money to make sure that our precious medical staff are protected.”
The uneasy uncertainty of hospital admission can be wrought with fear and anxiety. Having a loving hand to hold through the process is a reassuring and comforting luxury.
While it is natural for family members to live many cities apart, the coronavirus has made it near impossible to rush to a loved one’s side in a time of need. Last week, a heartbreaking video of a woman begging for help was widely shared on social media, with her family oblivious to her plight. The video raised many questions about the current state of hospitals and the treatment of those being cared for in those facilities.
Also read: Woman in viral Wentworth Hospital video dies
The woman in the video, Rowena Hawkey, has sadly passed on, and although they are spread between KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Eastern Cape and the United Kingdom, the family managed to give Rowena a fitting goodbye. “The family in Durban had a private ceremony of spreading the ashes at Blue Lagoon,” said Allon Pretorius, Rowena’s nephew.
Witpoortjie resident, Allon, has been in Johannesburg since 2015 following his retirement, and is the son of Rowena’s youngest sister. Mystery still surrounds the sources of the video taken at Wentworth Hospital in Durban. “We have no knowledge as to who took the video in the hospital. The Department of Health has not shared any information about this,” he explained.
While the Department of Health has highlighted its staffing and logistical challenges, Allon believes more could have been done. “It is sad that the government and the Department of Health, knowing that there would be a second wave, have not prepared hospitals to cope with the sudden lack of doctors and medical staff. Instead of wasting money on keeping people off the beaches, use the money to make sure that our precious medical staff are protected,” he lamented.
Also read: Family of deceased woman in Wentworth Hospital viral video seeks answers
Allon continued to vent his frustration, urging stronger leadership from those at the top. “I know the President feels that he is doing the best that he can, but he needs to take a firm stand. He must not be afraid to call out the ministers lacking in common sense and motivation to act swiftly,” he pleaded.
Right now the waters may be muddied, but in time the truth will come to light and the bereaved will see with absolute clarity.
