Durban — The Tongaat family of a 28-year-old woman whose baby died 11 days after birth, wants the hospital and the doctor on duty held accountable for negligence.
Nokulunga Innocentia Ngcobo was admitted at Osindisweni Hospital after she was transferred there by Tongaat Clinic on December 12. Upon her arrival, it is alleged that at about 11pm the doctor sedated her and promised to check up on her at 1am. But the doctor allegedly did not return or check on her until she gave birth assisted by nurses. It is alleged that Nokulunga started bleeding shortly after 1am and called the nurses, but they delayed attending to her.
Nokulunga’s father, Phendulani Ngcobo, said the nurses informed him that they tried contacting the doctor on his cellphone but it went to voicemail. One nurse went to look for the doctor in other wards, but could not find him, he said.
On December 13, Ngcobo said, the family arrived at the hospital after Nokulunga informed them that the doctor requested to see them due to the condition of the baby.
“My wife, son and I went to hospital. Nokulunga did not give us more information and said she was not told anything.”
He said they were shocked when the doctor informed them that the baby could be brain damaged or disabled due to serious complications which may have occurred during birth.
“Nokulunga mentioned right there that while waiting for the doctor, she had pains and bled soon after. She called for help but nurses made remarks of ‘not being there when she conceived’.
Nokulunga said the nurses came after she screamed that the baby’s head was coming out.
“The doctor said the baby was in a very bad state; we should expect the worst. He said he was not on duty that day. I was hurt and disappointed thinking how can people be reckless with people’s lives in what should be a place of safety,” said Ngcobo.
Ngcobo said there was a possibility that the doctor was not inside the hospital at the time of the delivery.
“He (the doctor) said he was unreachable on his cellphone due to network problems inside the hospital, but other people’s phones were working. He said the nurse who looked for him in the other wards could have been lost, as she was new. I told him all I heard were excuses. I lodged a formal complaint and asked to see the manager, but he was unavailable.”
Ngcobo said the hospital tried moving Nokulunga to Mahatma Gandhi Hospital without any explanation.
On December 18, Ngcobo said, he received a phone call from the hospital, informing him that the hospital management wanted to see him on December 21.
“In that meeting, the hospital manager just apologised and made no mention of investigating the matter. I am saddened by the negligence shown by the hospital while we lost our child, and it left our daughter traumatised.”
KwaZulu-Natal health spokesperson, Ntokozo Maphisa, said the department viewed the matter in a very serious light. It was now under investigation.
“The department is prohibited from publicly discussing details pertaining to the clinical management of patients, as it is confidential.”
Daily News