Hospital turns mother away

A DISTRAUGHT Masiphumelele mother says her 5-year-old child was turned away at False Bay Hospital because the radiographer was about to knock off for the day.

Miriri Munzvenga, said she was told to seek help elsewhere for Tanaka Munzvenga who was in “severe pains”.

“No painkillers were provided,” said Munzvenga.

Munzvenga left the hospital with a “sore heart” and was forced to care for Tanaka at home.

Munzvenga went back to the hospital and arrived at 8pm on Sunday.

She claims they were told to wait until the radiology department opened the following morning.

She then left and was only helped when she returned yesterday.

Tanaka had a fractured clavicle after he fell while playing on Sunday. She took him to the hospital and arrived before 2pm.

A doctor evaluated him at about 3.40pm and he was referred to the radiology department for a further check-up.

Munzvenga claimed the radiographer became “extremely arrogant”, telling her to bring the child the next day as she (radiographer) was going home.

“She was rude and would not listen to me.

“I told her the child was in severe pain,” said Munzvenga.

She said she went back to the doctor to report what had happened, but by the time she and the doctor went back, the radiographer was already gone.

Provincial health department spokesperson Monique Johnstone said at the time of diagnosis, the radiology department was closed and the patient was in a stable condition, the parents were advised to bring the child back in the morning.

Johnstone said an X-ray was conducted yesterday.

She said the operational hours of the radiology department on weekends and public holidays were from 8am until 4pm and “non-life threatening X-rays are scheduled for the next morning, while life-threatening cases are immediately referred to Victoria Hospital”.