Injured pregnant woman dies after agonising wait for treatment

The 30-year-old pregnant woman who was allegedly denied medical assistance at various healthcare facilities on Tuesday has died.

The routine hospital visit for the seven-month-pregnant woman turned to tragedy on Tuesday after she was knocked down in a hit-and-run accident on Townbush Road and later died of her injuries after allegedly being denied emergency treatment by striking healthcare workers at Northdale Hospital.

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Thandokuhle Mlotshwa spent hours in agonising pain as she was left unattended on a hospital stretcher as paramedics desperately tried to arrange emergency medical care for her.

Mlotshwa’s mother Thobekile said she was shocked and devastated at the loss of her daughter and her unborn grandchild.

I have not gone to the hospital yet. I am distraught, and the fact that I’m still in the dark about what exactly happened after the accident is making the situation worse.
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Access to govt mortuaries blocked
Mlotshwa had gone to Grey’s Hospital on Tuesday morning for her routine pregnancy scans, but was turned away because of the ongoing strike.

Returning from the hospital, she was then reportedly knocked over by a car while walking on Townbush Road.

She was taken to Northdale Hospital by KwaZulu Private Ambulance, but reportedly spent hours on the ambulance stretcher before eventually receiving medical attention at the facility.

Paramedic
Paramedic Hans Hartmann said the strike had made it difficult for ambulances to render their services to needy patients.

I am traumatised by the reports that she did not immediately receive medical attention because I believe that had it been the case, she could have been saved. The Health Department should have had plans in place to deal with a situation like this.
“As things stand, the situation is out of control. We have not heard from them [the department]. The people who came here to comfort us are the employers of one of my daughters. I do not have the strength to go out to undertake the necessary processes,” said the woman’s mother.

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She said the family will seek answers and justice for her daughter’s death.

Northdale Hospital board chairperson
Northdale Hospital board chairperson Hlalani Zondi said it is sad and painful to lose lives “carelessly” due to human action.

Zondi said Mlotshwa’s case was reported yesterday.

What’s sad is the fact that she was injured near Grey’s Hospital where under normal circumstances she should have received immediate medical attention. We managed to have her [admitted] into the facility but unfortunately we lost the unborn child and further lost the mother.
“Today we had 164 absenteeisms in our facility — that’s how bad the situation is. We wish to remind employees that people’s lives are in their hands and disputes should be handled in a manner that will not jeopardise the wellbeing of our patients,” said Zondi.