Couple not satisfied by Hospital’s response
The parents allege that should the staff have done their job accordingly they would not be in this situation.
A couple lost a baby boy at Witbank Provincial Hospital.
The parents allege that should the staff have done their job accordingly they would not be in this situation.
Almost three weeks later after lodging a formal complaint against the hospital the couple was called by the staff for a meeting to provide answers.
On Thursday, August 31 a six months pregnant woman was woken up by pains around 19:30. She then saw she was bleeding and was immediately rushed to hospital. She was admitted to Ward 5 around 20:30.
The couple lost their baby due to what they believe was the hospital’s negligence.
“I was still bleeding and all the Sister did was to change my sheets and leave,” explained the 23-year-old mother.
At the meeting that took place on Friday, September 29 people that were present were the hospital’s management including the Head of Matron and Head of Doctors. Absent from the meeting was the Head of Department (HOD). What was discussed at the meeting was relayed by the couple to WITBANK NEWS.
During the meeting the hospital said there was no way the baby could have been saved as the mother was bleeding meaning there was no connection between the child and mother. The child was now breathing alone. The hospital said the baby was 32 weeks and weighed 1,5 kg. There were contradicting statements because on one hand the hospital said the baby was too small to survive where in such instances it is the hospital’s responsibility to bury the child. While on the other hand the hospital said the baby was big enough for the family to bury.
“I heard the Doctor say the baby could not be saved so there was no use in attending to me,” said the woman.
With regards to the woman being admitted that evening, the hospital staff said she was admitted at 22:00 while the 35-year-old father disputed it stating it was at 20:30.
“Thirty minutes after she was admitted, a pregnancy belt (a belt that can monitor a developing baby’s heartbeat) was put over her stomach to check how the baby was doing. The baby was declared dead,” said one of the staff members.
The mother does agree that a belt was put on her stomach and she was told her son had died. But what baffles her is that nothing was done after she went back to her bed.
The woman said at 02:30 the Doctor took her for a sonar and indeed the baby was not moving. After that the mother went back to her bed and a blood drip was inserted.
“Absolutely nothing was done to me until I gave birth by myself at 04:30,” said the mother, while reliving the saddest day of her life.
The Head of Nurses apparently admitted that the hospital is short staffed which as a result they cannot attend to all patients. The Nurse mentioned that this is not the hospital’s fault but the provinces problem.
“It is a waste of time going there honestly if this is how things are done. She was bleeding for goodness sake. That should have been regarded as an emergency. If the hospital is short staffed that is not our problem as patients,” said the woman’s cousin who accompanied the couple to the meeting.
The woman’s cousin said there is no state of emergency in the hospital as the nurse said the hospital has a waiting period of 30 minutes unless it is a serious matter that needs attention.
Allegations that the hospital did not check on the woman for hours is not true, the staff said at 23:50 a Doctor came to check on the mother but the mother disputes it and said it is not true. The only time the mother saw the Doctor was at 02:30 when going for a sonar.
The father of the baby said the hospital has no state of emergency.
“I cannot understand why we cannot be shown the file as that is where the truth is. Instead at the meeting they came with a piece of paper where they wrote their own stories,” said the father in disbelief.
Another argument that erupted at the meeting was, which Doctor admitted her? The mother said she was admitted by a male Doctor and the hospital insists that it was a female doctor. What made it worse is that the Doctor who admitted her was not present at the meeting.
The couple are still vexed about what happened and their search for answers continues.
The hospital and the Mpumalanga Department of Health were contacted for comment again and both failed to respond.
ALSO READ
https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/101077/couple-blames-witbank-provincial-hospital-death-son/
https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/95327/thirteen-years-pain-discharged-hospital/
