Woman with severe back pain is told to wait a year for treatment
HONEYDEW RIDGE – A woman with severe back pain alleges that she has been sent from pillar to post by staff at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.
Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital has come under fire after one of their patients who suffers from severe back pain has been sent from pillar to post for a year.
Netalie Smith said that she did not want to fight the hospital, she just wants treatment for her illness. “It all started one morning when I woke up with a pinched feeling on my hip and after some consultations with a doctor who did an MRI, I was told that my vertebrae bones had collapsed and since then the pain has worsened,” she said.
Smith explained that she used to be a hairdresser but could no longer work and depended on her husband for support.
“I am unable to walk far, and can’t cook, work or even look after my granddaughter. The last two years have been a nightmare for me,” she lamented.
An emotional Smith accused the hospital of negligence as she alleged that she was given an appointment to see a spinal cord specialist after a whole year. She added that each time she went to the hospital she had to open a new file which led to her being discharged from the hospital in April due to all her medical records going missing.
“I have gone to this hospital so many times and the problem is that the doctors have rejected my MRI results citing that they are outdated and another one is needed in order for me to get an appointment with the spine clinic. However, it takes so long that by the time I get an appointment, my MRI results are outdated again. I am at my wits end. I don’t sleep or eat anymore and I suffer from bipolar disorder, which aggravates my condition,” Smith said.
She also alleged that she had seen several doctors since she began seeking treatment at the hospital and has been given a variety of medication for the pain, which so far has not worked.
Spokesperson for the Gauteng Department of Health, Steve Mabona, confirmed that Smith was discharged for clinical reasons. “It is regrettable that she could not be assisted as quickly as she would desire, however, it is important to indicate that our facilities are busy, especially our trauma units, and as such health professionals will, for obvious reasons, prioritise all life-threatening cases,” he said.
Mabona pointed out that the hospital has began interacting with Smith to review her situation and to find a solution to assist the patient accordingly.
Details: Gauteng Department of Health complaints, 080 020 3886.
Related Article:
GRAPHIC IMAGES: Patient screams hospital neglect
