‘My daughter should not have died like this’
The family of the late Anna Maluleke intends to sue the Department of Health after their loved one died shortly after giving birth at the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital
LIMPOPO – The family of a woman who died shortly after giving birth to a boy at the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital five years ago, is blaming the hospital for her death and intends to sue the Department of Health for negligence.
The family of the late Anna Maluleke of Madodonga village said she was admitted to the Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital to give birth on 10 May 2015 and was transferred to Polokwane where she gave birth two days later.
Her mother, Livhuwani Makhubele said Maluleke died after giving birth according to a hospital report, and added that her daughter called her on 11 May and spoke to her.”Her phone was off since 12 May, the day on which she gave birth. After a week I was called by the hospital to go to Polokwane, and when I arrived, I was told my daughter had died.”
Nurses explained to her that the baby was in good health, but she wasn’t allowed to leave with the newborn until he was in better health. “Two weeks later I went to the hospital to visit the baby, where I was informed that the child had been operated on.”
Even though the baby was released into her care, the child had a physical disability, Makhubele told CV.
“No one at the hospital is providing answers. We are heartbroken. We thought Anna would be able to raise her children. The hospital is not giving us answers about what happened. We want the truth. They killed my child and they will pay for it, I can’t allow my child to die like that.”
She said they have already lodged a formal complaint.
“One of the senior nurses there wanted to meet us at the time, but I refused. I asked for time to prepare to bury my daughter in peace.”
It was not immediately clear whether or not a meeting had taken place in the last five years. Provincial Health Spokesperson Neil Shikwambana said they were investigating the matter. “We will lodge an investigation. The standard way of handling issues is that when a person passes on in the hospital, we should be able to contact his or her next of kin to notify them.”
He said the results of the investigation would be given to the family and that the family would receive a visit from departmental officials.
