Family of dead 12-year-old girl plans to sue health MEC

The family of a 12-year-old girl who died after paramedics allegedly failed to assist her, wants health MEC Phophi Ramathuba to pay, with the Democratic Alliance (DA) calling for an investigation.

Botshela Lennette Shikwamnane of Nkambako village in Tzaneen was allegedly abandoned by an ambulance from Mugodeni Grace Health Centre at the weekend and had to wait for another.

The girl was taken to the Letaba Hospital on Friday, suffering from severe headache and stomach pain.

She was sent for x-rays and later discharged, with doctors and nurses saying they could not see anything wrong after a series of check ups.

The family told The Citizen that, with the help of a DA councillor, they called for an ambulance as she was not showing signs of recuperating.

She coughed uncontrollably and was vomiting in front of helpless family members and bemused neighbours while waiting for the ambulance.

“The ambulance from the Mugodeni arrived shortly afterwards,” said family spokesperson Marks Ngobeni yesterday.

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He said the crew entered the home with no equipment, checked the child’s eyes and mouth and stated they did not have enough equipment to help her.

“They said they had a pregnant woman in the ambulance and would have to call another ambulance, and then left the child in our care,” he said.

“At the time, my niece continued to vomit. She was in a moribund state. Two hours later, the second ambulance arrived from Letaba hospital and the officials then declared the child dead.”

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He said this has left the family with many questions.

“Does the department have the right people for the job? Does the department have the right equipment to help our sick? Does the department have the right nurses and doctors at Letaba Hospital?

“If Yes, why then did our child die in the hands of those they called professionals?”

Limpopo health department spokesperson Neil Shikwambana said yesterday:

“Indeed, our EMS basic life support crew from Mugodeni responded to the call.

“Unfortunately, upon arrival the crew found that the child had already demised, which is classified as Priority four (P4) in terms of our triage system because there was no cardio respiratory activities after examining the body.

“The crew informed the family that, unfortunately, the child is no more. However, as basic ambulance assistants, as per regulation, they will require services of an intermediate life supporter to confirm and certify the death.”

Shikwambana said a call for another emergency which was a Priority two (P2) came in and the crew had to leave a P4 to attend to a P2 as per their norms and standards to avoid losing a life where they had an opportunity to save it.