Hospital staff under investigation after allegedly neglecting patient
Amputation is a possibility for a man whose sister claims hospital staff took too long to tend to his wounds, causing an infection
POLOKWANE – The sister of a victim of a hit-and-run incident claims her brother is at risk of losing his leg after hospital staff at two hospitals in the city neglected to tend to his wounds.
Tommy Charlie was rushed to Seshego Hospital after he was knocked over by a vehicle. After waiting for several hours without being assisted by a doctor or medical professional to clean his wounds, it is suspected that his wound turned septic. His sister, Sana Louw, says the hospital staff only gave her brother pain medication and left him waiting to see a doctor.
According to Louw, her brother was transported to Pietersburg Provincial Hospital last Wednesday where he was told he would need surgery.
“My brother was told at the hospital that they could not help him or treat him because the wound had not been cleaned at the Seshego Hospital, adding that there was nothing they could do for him,” Louw says. She says her brother had to wait at Pietersburg Provincial Hospital until 18:00 in pain without any assistance from the hospital staff. “When they transported him back to Seshego Hospital, the hospital personnel didn’t even assist him to get out of the bus. They simply ignored him.
“I was fed up with the horrid service at the hospital and was worried because my brother was in excruciating pain. I raised my voice and asked why no one was willing or able to help us, asking why nothing was being done to assist my brother. The hospital personnel only reacted after I behaved like a deranged person and yelled for service. By that time his leg was severely infected and we fear he might lose his leg as a result,” Louw explains.
Department of Health Spokesperson, Derick Kganyago, says the department has received the enquiry and is looking into the matter. “We have started the investigation and transferred the matter to our MEDICO legal team. We have spoken to the family as well and they acknowledged our effort to assist them,” Kganyago concluded.
