2 lives in chaos due to misdiagnoses

POLOKWANE – Being incorrectly diagnosed had dire consequences for two women in two cases recently.

Both women allege they were misdiagnosed by personnel at the department of health’s Rethabile Clinic in the city.

Ruth Nkoana took time off from work after being ill for some time. She said she went to the clinic to be diagnosed and receive medication.

“I could not believe my ears when one of the nurses told me that I had tested positive for active tuberculosis (TB) and would have to undergo intense treatment immediately.

“I could not believe what was happening to me, and called my family immediately asking for their assistance, as I could no longer continue with my duties because I was scared of infecting the family I was working for,” Nkoana explained.

She said when she returned to the clinic the following week, she was told that she had been incorrectly diagnosed and that she was only suffering from a common cold, and possibility bronchitis.

“I had already resigned from my job and now I am stuck without an income. I have to find other work because the family I left has already replaced me. This all happened just because a nurse decided that I had TB,” she said.

In the second case, a woman who does not wish to be identified, said she had been making use of the Rethabile Clinic’s services regularly, and for some time. She said she had her first baby there.

The woman, who made use of the clinic’s services throughout her first pregnancy, said she went to the clinic recently after finding out that she was expecting another child.

She said she had a check-up and routine tests were done. A nurse informed her that she had tested positive for HIV.

“I refused to believe the outcome. I knew there was no way I could have tested positive as I live a healthy lifestyle and could not have been infected,” she said.

A second test was done and this time the result showed that she was HIV negative. She also went to a private doctor, who also confirmed that she was HIV negative.

“I need to make use of this clinic’s services, and they have always given me such good service.

I do not always have the money to make use of a private doctor. I can’t help but wonder what could have happened to my unborn child if I had taken the medication they wanted to give me,” she said.

She said the reason the clinic gave her for the mistake was that the nurse was not fully trained yet.

Nkoana said she planned to take the matter further and would lodge a complaint with the department.

The second woman said she did not wish to take the matter further, but still wanted people to be warned against something like this happening to them as well.

Department of health spokesperson, Macks Lesufi said there was no way that an untrained nurse would assist a patient.

“It cannot happen anywhere in the country that untrained nurses be used in state institutions. All nurses are trained and qualified to execute their tasks as required,” he said.

“All our institutions have complaints management processes and committees and anyone having a complaint should make use of these,” he continued.

Lesufi said the department would process the complaints as per the information supplied by Review.

He urged the complainants to formally lodge their complaints.