Limpopo woman dies outside locked clinic, day after another gave birth at gate

The Madimbo Clinic in Limpopo is facing a second case of misconduct, just hours after a woman was forced to give birth outside its gates, while nurses inside the facility were apparently sleeping.

The Citizen has been informed that a female patient suffering from a chronic disease arrived at the clinic outside Musina on Wednesday morning, after being referred there from Tshiungani Clinic.

Just as in the case of a previous patient the day before, she was made to wait for medical attention outside the locked gate. The patient, who had arrived there at 5.30am, was apparently told by staff that they would only attend to her at 7am when they opened the clinic.

“When the clinic eventually opened, the patient was examined and it was determined that her condition was very serious. The Emergency Medical Services were called and after a lengthy wait, she was taken to Donald Fraser Hospital, about 90 kilometres away, where she later passed away,” The Citizen was told. 

The incident has sent shockwaves throughout the province and beyond, with many questioning the management of the clinic.  

On Thursday, the department confirmed it had suspended a nurse at the clinic who was supposed to have tended to a mother who was forced to give birth at the clinic’s gate on Wednesday morning.

ALSO READ: ‘Sleeping’ nurse suspended after woman gives birth at clinic gate

“We can confirm that the department has suspended one of the nurses who was supposed to assist the woman. Nurses working at the facility sleep at the clinic and when a patient presents to the facility with an emergency, they were expected to wake up and assist them,” said departmental spokesperson Neil Shikwambana. 

“The department has sent a team to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the occurrence of this incident. The baby and the mother have since been taken to the nearest hospital and they are both doing well,” added Shikwambane. 

He, however, could not be reached to comment on the latest incident. 

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