A grieving daughter believes her mother would still be alive had she not been “prematurely discharged” from Thembisa Hospital.
Sarah Dimakatso Ndou passed away on Thursday last week, a day after being released from the facility.
At the time of publication, the Gauteng department of health had not responded to questions sent on Monday. This article will be updated when comment is received.
Her daughter, Itani Ndou, told TimesLIVE doctors initially informed the family her mother would need to be admitted for at least two weeks, yet she was discharged after three days.
“They said she had heart complications and that they would need to run several tests and keep her under observation. They also said water needed to be drained from her heart.”
Itani said the family was shocked when they were told Sarah had to be discharged to make way for other patients. “When I asked what happened to the two weeks' admission, they said she’ll recover at home.”
She said they tried to impress upon doctors and nurses that her mother could not be discharged in the state she was in, but their requests fell on deaf ears.
“We told them that we would not be able to give her the medical care she evidently needed, but they said they have to make space for other patients.”
The distraught woman said they also had to fight for Sarah to be admitted to the hospital.
According to Itani, her mother spent more than 24 hours in a wheelchair in the facility's casualty unit.
She said Sarah was only attended to and allocated a ward after Gauteng health and wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko intervened.
“It should not be right that we have to go to the level of getting an MEC to assist us with basics such as being allocated a bed.”
Itani said Nkomo-Ralehoko was called upon to assist by DA Gauteng constituency head for Thembisa South Refiloe Nt’sekhe, who the family contacted through a friend.
“My mother was only allocated a ward and bed after the intervention of the MEC. Perhaps they were just trying to just shut us up because they only kept her there for a few days.”
Nt’sekhe said the incident demonstrated the challenges of overcrowding at the hospital. She said while intervening to assist the Ndou family, she went there to assess the situation for herself.
“I visited the hospital to assess why the hospital could not accommodate the patient and I witnessed a terrible situation. The hospital is overcrowded. Several patients could not be accommodated in wards.”
Nt’sekhe said Thembisa Hospital needed more beds to be able to provide adequate healthcare, adding that she would write to the MEC to demand an investigation into the circumstances under which Sarah was discharged.
In a statement on Wednesday, Nkomo-Ralehoko said her department was working on a proposal to build a 300-bed district hospital in Kempton Park which would alleviate pressure on the Thembisa facility.
The MEC said this when responding to legislature questions about the old Kempton Park Hospital which closed its doors more than two decades ago. Communities near that facility receive services at primary health facilities, while patients who need further management are transferred to Thembisa.
“Given the growing population in the Kempton Park area, there is now a need for a higher level of care facility,” she said.
Nkomo-Ralehoko said her department was liaising with the Gauteng Infrastructure Funding Agency (GIFA) to assist with funding proposals for the demolition of the old facility and the building of a new one.
There are no time frames and budget yet as the proposal is still being considered.
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Daughter blames mother's death on 'premature discharge' from Thembisa Hospital
The woman says hospital staff told the family her mother had to be discharged to make space for other patients
Image: Supplied
A grieving daughter believes her mother would still be alive had she not been “prematurely discharged” from Thembisa Hospital.
Sarah Dimakatso Ndou passed away on Thursday last week, a day after being released from the facility.
At the time of publication, the Gauteng department of health had not responded to questions sent on Monday. This article will be updated when comment is received.
Her daughter, Itani Ndou, told TimesLIVE doctors initially informed the family her mother would need to be admitted for at least two weeks, yet she was discharged after three days.
“They said she had heart complications and that they would need to run several tests and keep her under observation. They also said water needed to be drained from her heart.”
Itani said the family was shocked when they were told Sarah had to be discharged to make way for other patients. “When I asked what happened to the two weeks' admission, they said she’ll recover at home.”
She said they tried to impress upon doctors and nurses that her mother could not be discharged in the state she was in, but their requests fell on deaf ears.
“We told them that we would not be able to give her the medical care she evidently needed, but they said they have to make space for other patients.”
The distraught woman said they also had to fight for Sarah to be admitted to the hospital.
According to Itani, her mother spent more than 24 hours in a wheelchair in the facility's casualty unit.
She said Sarah was only attended to and allocated a ward after Gauteng health and wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko intervened.
“It should not be right that we have to go to the level of getting an MEC to assist us with basics such as being allocated a bed.”
Itani said Nkomo-Ralehoko was called upon to assist by DA Gauteng constituency head for Thembisa South Refiloe Nt’sekhe, who the family contacted through a friend.
“My mother was only allocated a ward and bed after the intervention of the MEC. Perhaps they were just trying to just shut us up because they only kept her there for a few days.”
Nt’sekhe said the incident demonstrated the challenges of overcrowding at the hospital. She said while intervening to assist the Ndou family, she went there to assess the situation for herself.
“I visited the hospital to assess why the hospital could not accommodate the patient and I witnessed a terrible situation. The hospital is overcrowded. Several patients could not be accommodated in wards.”
Nt’sekhe said Thembisa Hospital needed more beds to be able to provide adequate healthcare, adding that she would write to the MEC to demand an investigation into the circumstances under which Sarah was discharged.
In a statement on Wednesday, Nkomo-Ralehoko said her department was working on a proposal to build a 300-bed district hospital in Kempton Park which would alleviate pressure on the Thembisa facility.
The MEC said this when responding to legislature questions about the old Kempton Park Hospital which closed its doors more than two decades ago. Communities near that facility receive services at primary health facilities, while patients who need further management are transferred to Thembisa.
“Given the growing population in the Kempton Park area, there is now a need for a higher level of care facility,” she said.
Nkomo-Ralehoko said her department was liaising with the Gauteng Infrastructure Funding Agency (GIFA) to assist with funding proposals for the demolition of the old facility and the building of a new one.
There are no time frames and budget yet as the proposal is still being considered.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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