Sick student ‘turned away’ from hospital
A UNIVERSITY of Fort Hare student claimed she was turned away by Life St Dominic’s Hospital because she did not have a certified copy of her mother’s ID.
Musa Mjali from Libode was in a serious condition at midnight last Thursday, after three days of vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach cramps.
She decided to go to hospital after being kept up all night fighting these symptoms, and took her ID and medical aid card.
On arrival, the receptionist informed Mjali to pay a R400 levy fee, which was not readily available. Some friends managed to help out and by 1am she had the money at the hospital.
But the receptionist then told her she could not be admitted because she did not have a certified copy of her mother’s ID.
Mjali said she tried to explain that her mother was from out of town and that she was a beneficiary of the medical aid, as stated on the card.
The student also said she had accessed healthcare in East London before with no trouble. “I was told to go to [the state hospital] Frere,” the second year LLB student said.
The hospital said the matter would be investigated, as treatment should have been given if it was an emergency.
Mjali said she had a history of ulcers which had become worse that night and she was also dehydrated.
“It was very severe that night. I couldn’t sleep, that’s why I went to the hospital because I wasn’t sure doctors were open that time of the night,” she said.
Mjali said it was not so much that the hospital required those documents, but more that the receptionist had been extremely rude to her and even told her it was not his fault she did not have her mother’s ID.
She went home and took painkillers and her symptoms persisted until the morning.
Mjali called her mother who made a plan to come to East London the following day with her ID. “On Friday we were helped after waiting for two hours.
“I was still vomiting. They put me on a drip, [and] said I was very dehydrated.
“I was discharged the same day,” she said, adding she had been given other medication as well.
Mjali’s mother, Lulama Mjali said she was angry and hurt regarding what happened.
“They should’ve
called me
so
that
Icould fax a copy of my ID the next morning. My daughter was crying on the phone, I had to wake up early on Friday and head to East London,” she said.
She added that the fact the medical aid deducted funds from her each month, a phone call to verify her daughter’s identity should have sufficed.
“I confronted a receptionist on duty when I got there on Friday, wanting to know what their mission and vision is. It means a person could die right in front of them,” said an emotional Lulama.
Ailsa Thorpe, regional marketing manager for the Life Health Group in the Border-Kei region, said: “It is with regret that [Musa] had a negative experience at Life St Dominic’s Hospital.
“We are fully investigating these allegations and will revert to the patient as soon as possible.
“It is policy for us to request the ID of the member and the main member along with the original medical aid card.
“Irrespective of whether these documents are immediately available or not, treatment will be provided where indicated in terms of the internationally accepted triage system in all of our accident and emergency units,” she said.
The triage system allows patients to present themselves at an emergency unit at any time with any complaint and for a brief assessment to be carried out. —