Durban – The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health said an investigation into allegations that a 62-year-old Verulam man, was repeatedly attacked after he was admitted to Osindisweni Hospital, found the claims were not true.
The man was admitted to the hospital on Saturday for acute abdominal pains, according to Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa). Five days later, he died in hospital.
The provincial health department’s Ntokozo Maphisa said that the allegations had been investigated and were found to be untrue.
“Without prejudice, the department wishes to send its condolences to the bereaved family," said Maphisa.
Rusa spokesperson Prem Balram said the patient’s family, including his son-in-law, wife, daughter and granddaughter, approached them for help at their offices last Tuesday, after they received a desperate call from the patient pleading for assistance.
“[He] believed he was about to be stabbed by men who had breached a security gate at the psychiatric ward once again. He repeatedly screamed that he was about to be ‘poked’ by other patients,” Balram said.
Balram said the son-in-law claimed that his father-in-law informed them that he had been attacked repeatedly since his admission by people in the psychiatric ward who left their ward.
“[The patient] then informed his family telephonically that his and other patients' lives were in danger and some had sought a forced discharge fearing for their safety,” he said.
Balram said the son-in-law drove to the hospital with his mother-in-law, wife and daughter and lodged a complaint with hospital management.
The department told The Mercury that the patient died on Wednesday but the reason for his death has not been disclosed.
Maphisa said the department has noted correspondence on social media and elsewhere regarding this matter.
“We wish to state that the allegations attributed to the patient were investigated and found to be simply untrue,” he said.
Maphisa said hospital management has had extensive engagements with the next of kin regarding how the patient was managed.
“Should they seek any further clarity, they are welcome to approach the office of the hospital CEO,” he said.