MBOMBELA – Rob Ferreira Hospital continues to be a disservice to patients, in particular its casualty ward.
Patients have complained bitterly about non-attendance by the medical staff, including the administration where they have to collect their files on arrival.
On Sunday evening this reporter received a call from Ms Adelaide Ngema, a community worker from Lihawu, complaining that her brother-in-law had been taken to the hospital last Wednesday and was not attended to until Sunday.
The patient, (whose name is known to the publication) was brought by an ambulance from Tekwane South and according to Ngema, he was gravely ill.
“On Saturday afternoon a relative of ours went to see him and called to inform us that he had been discharged. I met with my mother-in-law later that day, but we could not find him. I decided to go check in one of the wards I’m familiar with, and found him lying on a bed in the passage. I asked one of the nurses what was the situation because he was complaining of body aches and that he did not have strength.
“All I wanted was for him to at least receive medication, but nobody said anything. It was heartbreaking to find him in that condition. Even after requesting water because he was thirsty, we were told there was no water or bathroom facilities in that ward. That is when my family and I decided it would be better for him to come home.”
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According to Ngema, had it not been for the relative who had gone to see the patient on Saturday, the family would not have known he had been discharged. On Sunday they organised transport to fetch the patient because he could not walk.
On this journalist’s arrival we searched for him until one nurse recognised Ngema and told her where her brother-in-law was. There he lay, covered in a brown threadbare blanket with flies buzzing around him.
There was a bit of tension and distress. He woke up, asking for water complaining of pain and dehydration. A general worker passed by and Ngema requested from where she could obtain water. She said she was unsure, but there was no water in that ward.
While they helped him change into clean clothing, this reporter took a seat on the bench next to a woman who had a child with her. A conversation arose where she vented her frustration of being in the casualty ward for two days.
“The situation has been the same since we were brought in, that man has been sleeping in the passage. Nobody has checked up on him. I don’t know how things work here, but I am tired of sleeping with my child on this bench. We have not even taken a bath in two days because I have to wait for his results,” she said.
Mpumalanga News spoke to others and they shared the same sentiments.
As this reporter and Ngema were about to leave the ward, a nurse came and asked Ngema why her brother-in-law was leaving as he had to undergo treatment the following day. The nurse was informed that the patient would be taken to a local clinic near his home because he had not been attended to while in hospital.
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Ngema and her family said they were not satisfied with the way patients are treated at Rob Ferreira. “Management should intervene because there are many people complaining about the service. It was not pleasant seeing flies all around him. Health-care workers are responsible for patients’ lives, yet not all of them are committed to their job. Something must be done in this hospital. What if we had found him dead? Their service is poor,” said Ngema angrily.
The Department of Health was sent a list of questions, to which it responded, “The hospital has allocated doctors to assist at casualty, and in addition 20 doctors have been appointed to ensure that patients are attended to in time. The department can confirm that there are enough facilities to render health services.”
