Six moms sue KZN for millions
SIX medical negligence claims against the MECs for health and social development, totalling more than R76 million, came before the Pietermaritzburg High Court yesterday.
The claims, arising from 2006 to 2011 cases, were similar in nature and the Health and Social Development departments had been cited because both controlled and operated the health-care facilities the women had gone to, to give birth, according to court papers.
In five of the claims, the mothers had endured several days of labour in circumstances in which a Caesarean section was needed.
The procedures were eventually performed too late, or the mothers gave birth naturally when the Caesareans ought to have been performed.
As a result, the babies suffered from cerebral palsy, mental retardation and epilepsy due to a lack of oxygen during labour. Each mother was suing the department for R12.8million.
Two of the women had given birth at Charles Johnson Memorial Hospital in Nqutu; one at the Gunjaneni Clinic, Hlabisa; another at the Rietvlei Hospital, near Umzimkhulu; and one at the Kwadabeka Community Health Centre Hospital, in Clermont.
In the last claim, the mother, from Port Shepstone, attended the Murchison Hospital to give birth. She visited the hospital for check-ups from February to May 2010 and was treated and examined by nursing and medical staff.
On her first visit, she was diagnosed as being anaemic and, on the last visit, of having high blood pressure.
On May 20, she was admitted to the hospital to give birth. While in labour, she was not given oxygen or medication to decrease the intensity of her contractions while being prepared for a C-section.
Her blood pressure had also not been properly monitored. As a result, the child suffered brain damage. The woman was suing for R12.2 million.
In all of the cases, the child’s medical conditions were allegedly caused as a result of medical negligence by hospital staff. The claims were for estimated future, hospital, medical and related expenses; future loss of earnings and employment; and pain and suffering.
Rocketed
All the matters were adjourned for more papers to be filed.
It had been reported last month that medical negligence claims in the province had rocketed in the past eight years. There was more than R5 billion in pending claims and the number of cases had risen from 50 in 2008 (more than R3 million in claims), to more than 350 this year.
The article said that, according to a confidential document, the highest number of claims came from obstetrics and gynaecology, with the second-highest number from paediatrics.
A Health Department senior official quoted in the report said fewer doctors wanted to train for specialities such as obstetrics and gynaecology as they were considered “high risk” for malpractice claims.
“A lot of claims have to do with the quality of care, attitudes and unavailability of medicines and when it comes to children people will not back down,” said the source.
Sharika Regchand
IN AN effort to counteract the intensive promotion of illegal abortions, which posed health risks, Health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo launched a campaign against illegal abortions yesterday.
He said it was alarming to see illegal abortion pamphlets, professing “safe”, “pain-free”, “quick” and “cheap” abortions, being given to the public and plastered on street walls and lamp-posts.
Even worse, adverts were put up in places such as taxi ranks and shopping centres, making women believe they had access to a legitimate service.
To launch the campaign, a march was held from the Masukwane to the Market Square taxi ranks in Pietermaritzburg.
En route, Dhlomo tore down illegal abortion posters from street poles.
He said he was concerned that despite the country’s having one of the most progressive abortion laws in the world, women still chose backstreet providers instead of government-sanctioned abortion centres.
“It is actually disappointing that 18 years after the promulgation of The Choice of Termination of Pregnancy Act, introduced in 1996, we still have women being maimed and dying as a result of illegal and unsafe abortions.”
The dangers of illegal abortions included severe bleeding, uterine perforation, tearing of the cervix, an increased risk of infertility, severe damage to the genitals and abdomen, internal infection of the abdomen and blood poisoning.
Incomplete
In the past financial year, 12 031 patients were admitted to health facilities around the province because of incomplete abortions and 1 455 for septic abortions. He said that according to the 2012 Saving Mothers report, 186 women died in the country of a septic miscarriage in public health facilities, of which 23% were caused by unsafe or illegal abortions.
A 2010 study by the South African Medical Research Council found that 49% of abortions were undergone by women aged 13 to 19 and these had taken place outside a hospital or clinic.
Circumstances that led to abortion included rape or coerced intercourse, unsupported pregnancy, pregnancy which might threaten the woman’s health or survival and an abnormal foetus.
He added there were also personal, socio-economic or cultural reasons for unwanted pregnancies.
Despite a law legalising abortion, there were still obstacles to safe legal abortions. The stigma was as much an obstacle to women seeking access to the services as it was to the doctors and nurses providing it.
“Many health-care workers who should be providing the services do not always fully understand the ethos. They often impose their own beliefs on the clients, thus limiting access to appropriate health services.”
Thus, women needing the service often felt ostracised, isolated and stigmatised.
“We have to work together to change all this. Failure to do so drives young women needing the services to the quack ‘doctors’.”