On September 23, I was chased away from the Alberton North Clinic by a midwife or nurse.
I found out I was pregnant at 23 weeks but had gone to a private doctor for confirmation and sonar, and it was confirmed. I then went to the clinic a few days later to do all the tests and get my clinic book for the hospital. I got a date to come back to the clinic for results.
When I went back, I mentioned that I was leaking amniotic fluid. The sister gave me a referral letter for Germiston hospital. My boss then took me to Germiston and they told me to come back the very next day.
I couldn’t go back and forth and the more I was moving, the more water I kept losing. So I decided to go to a private doctor the next day instead. My mistake it seems but it was closer and more convenient.
The doctor did a scan and confirmed I had very little amniotic fluid left and put me on bedrest immediately. So my next date for the clinic was September 13. I missed it due to being on bed rest.
I then went to another lady that only specialises in sonars, and did sonar to make sure my baby was okay. She had told me I was actually further along than what the original doctor had said. But the clinic only estimated my due date or weeks according to my last period, when I was three months pregnant I had my last period.
I went to the clinic to ask that I please show them my sonar and for the doctor to put me on bed rest. The sister or midwife started screaming at me in front of all the clinic people outside and front of my fiancé and five-year-old son.
She then told me she wouldn’t help me and doesn’t take orders from private doctors. The clinic has me due for the end of October, when my actual due date is on October 5.
The clinic has improved a lot, I must say, they are awesome. But the one specific midwife chases pregnant ladies away, shouts at them and belittles them. Even on Google reviews, pregnant ladies are complaining.
She even showed away my fiancé who was there with a referral letter for insulin. She told him to get blood tests done elsewhere and then come back, which is uncalled for.
She told us to go get a referral letter from his doctor and come back and that’s what we did. Why not tell us about the blood tests from the beginning?
I feel degraded and embarrassed by the way I was spoken to in front of my family and people outside the clinic. I was not even allowed to enter the clinic.
I didn’t say a word and just walked away in tears, thinking my baby could be in danger. And she won’t even help or at least change my due date in my clinic book as per sonar for the hospital to help me. I went privately for sonars twice because the clinic does not do sonars.
This was a very bad experience. I only hope I can help other pregnant ladies that go there and are not treated the same way.
CoE’s response
The City of Ekurhuleni spokesperson, Zweli Dlamini said the city will be launching a full-scale investigation into these serious allegations.
“There is no way such claims can go untested because they go against everything that we believe in as a city – which is Batho Pele (people first). Our staff knows that residents come first and when you hear of such incidents, it gives you the shivers,” he said.
He told the Alberton Record the city is committed to getting to the bottom of this matter and also ensuring that such behaviour is not associated with their organisation going forward.
“The complainant will be called to come to the clinic for a redress meeting in which an apology will be tendered. The incident was brought to the attention of the implicated professional nurse. The professional nurse was sensitised on the importance of always upholding patients’ rights and Batho Pele principles during the consultation with patients,” Dlamini said.
Dlamini said the professional nurse was advised on the use of appropriate voice tone when communicating with patients who come to her for antenatal services.
ALSO READ:
https://albertonrecord.co.za/329299/update-city-reverts-on-pregnant-patients-grievance/
