Wife’s hospital death mystery baffles family

MARY Shunmugam was admitted to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital with an upset tummy. Five days later she was dead.

According to a post-mortem, Shunmugam died as a result of a brain haemorrhage caused by multiple skull fractures. Now, three months after her remains were cremated, her family is still unsure why she died.

Shunmugam, 52, of Woodview, Phoenix, was taken to hospital on Thursday, November 19.

Her husband, Lionel Shunmugam, said no one was allowed to accompany her due to Covid-19 restrictions at the hospital. She was tested twice for the virus and on both occasions the result was negative.

Later that day, her husband dropped off some toiletries and a cellphone with the security guards at the hospital. That evening, when the family called to check on her condition, nurses in the ward said she was asleep.

The next day, they called three times and were given the same response.

Shunmugam said when he asked to speak to the doctor, he was told the doctor would only be available a few days later.

That weekend, he was told his wife was asleep and he was unable to speak to her.

“On Monday, the doctor called and said Mary was critical with sepsis of the lungs and only a single visitor would be allowed the next day.

“I was given five minutes to see her and I noticed she had a fresh open wound on her forehead. She was on a respirator with sensor strips on both sides of her head and she was unconscious.”

He said the doctor could not explain why his wife had a wound on her forehead.

Shunmugam called the hospital the next morning with the aim of taking his children to see their mom. He was then told she had died and that her body was in the mortuary.

“At the mortuary, we found out that no doctor at the hospital was prepared to sign the death certificate. The mortuary attendant asked us to go to Ward 9 because the doctor needed to speak to us.”

According to Shunmugam, the doctor did not want to sign the death

Mary Shunmugam

certificate because his wife had died by the time the doctor had gone to examine her.

He claimed the hospital did not agree to do a post-mortem. It was done after he requested it at the mortuary.

“The state post-mortem found that my wife died of a brain haemorrhage due to multiple skull fractures.”

The matter was reported to the police and the family has also asked the Ombudsman for Health Services to investigate.

Shunmugam said the hospital management had not responded to his queries. Neither had the KZN Department of Health.

The department failed to respond to questions from POST while police said an inquest had been opened at Phoenix SAPS.

Mary was cremated on November 27 at the Verulam Crematorium.

Shunmugam said: “My wife was a devoted member of the church, Bible Deliverance Fellowship, in Phoenix. I hope God guides us in our quest to find out how and why she died.

“If someone didn’t do their job, we want justice.”