450kg man finally hospitalised

A 60-year-old man has been hospitalised at the intensive care of the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital after he was allegedly turned away by 10 private facilities.

Edenvale resident Corrie le Grange weighs 450kg because of Ascites, that causes a build-up of fluid around vital organs which unavoidably leads to massive weight gain.

Le Grange has undergone excruciating suffering after it emerged that the hospitals that turned him away could not cater for his size.

However, he was eventually transported to the Parktown-based hospital on 1 July.

Le Grange was reportedly lifted in his bed from his Edenvale home by brave paramedics and residents using ropes to get him into the ambulance and was transported in his bed to the hospital. Gauteng Health Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said the department is happy to have come to the rescue.

“Patients who suffer a lot should be accommodated, whether by private or public hospitals” he said.

“We are currently in the process of fixing a bed of that size, so that the family can keep the one he is using now – and we are also procuring one bed [with] the similar size to accommodate patients who may weigh similar to Mr le Grange, ” Mabona added.

Mabona also said the department will update the public regarding le Grange’s progress.

Meanwhile, the DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC Jack Bloom said he welcomes the commitment by the Gauteng Health Department to ensure that equipment is available to cope with patients like le Grange.

“It is unfortunate that he suffered for more than three months after being turned away by both private and public hospitals,” Bloom said.