Khayelitsha resident Nomvuzo Maponya has accused the staff and nurses at the Khayelitsha district hospital of negligence and rudeness after her adult nephew was left unattended in a pool of urine on the floor.
The 55-year-old told Vukani that her nephew Luyanda Dyasi, 52, had been admitted to the hospital on Monday November 6, after he had suffered epileptic seizures.
Ms Maponya said that in the afternoon she went to the hospital and took new clothes so that he could change.
But she was shocked and angry to find her nephew sleeping on the cold floor without a blanket or mattress, in a pool of urine, and ignored by the nurses and cleaning staff. She said she immediately approached the nurses to ascertain why Luyanda had been left lying on floor. But she said the nurses were rude and did not assist her.
Ms Maponya said she was told that there were not enough beds and nurses to attend to Luyanda immediately.
Furthermore, she said, they told her that he did not need urgent medical attention. When she decided to take care of her nephew herself and wrap him in a sheet, she said, she got no help from the nurses.
“The nurses are hired to look after the patients and should not treat them badly. I nearly fainted when I saw my nephew in that state.
Why are they treating our people like dogs?” she said.
Ms Maponya said whenever Luyanda has epileptic seizures, he wets himself and loses consciousness. She said he was taken to the hospital by the ambulance around 8am, but when she visited the hospital at 3pm he had not yet received medical attention.
Department of Health spokesperson, Sithembiso Magubane, said the allegations had been brought to management’s attention and the hospital hasd launched an investigation.
He added that the hospital’s management would like to apologise to the Dyasi family for their negative experience and would be meeting with the family to discuss their concerns. Khayelitsha Health Forum (KHF) chaiperson, Mzanywa Ndibongo, said he was not aware of the incident but promised to follow-up the matter with the hospital. Mr Ndibongo admitted that there was a shortage of beds and doctors. He said that for years they had been engaging with the Department of Health to employ more doctors and provide more beds.
“I urge people to report their matters to a person who is in charge and take the names of the nurses that are helping them. We strongly condemn such incidents,” he said. Mr Magubane said complaints about poor service should be raised with the facility manager or reportered to the deaprtment’s call centre at 0860 142 1420 or send a please call me to 079 769 1207.