‘We didn’t know our mother died’

The family of Poobathy Moodley, an 80-year-old woman who died alone at Northdale Hospital, are furious they were not informed of her death, nor were they allowed to visit her when she was on her deathbed.

Moodley was admitted to the hospital three weeks ago and family members visited her often until the health workers' strike. Although she died on Thursday at 6 pm, they only established on Sunday afternoon that she had died.

The family was aware that Moodley's condition had begun to deteriorate but are angry about the lack of information provided to the family during her last days at the medical facility.

Radhika Ramsingh, Moodley's niece, said that they went to visit her aunt on Monday, and they could see her condition had deteriorated.

"On Tuesday we tried to visit her again, but the gates were closed. We tried calling the matron on duty, but we got no answer. The public relations officer then said that there were no visiting hours until further notice.

"On Wednesday I tried calling the hospital again because she was in need of critical care, but there was no answer," said Ramsingh.

On Thursday a friend sent Ramsingh the matron's number so that she could get more information. Her attempts on that day also failed.

"On Friday the public relations officer tried to request assistance for families to see their loved ones in hospital.

"When the report came back from the senior at the hospital it stated that there are no visiting hours due to the strike," said Ramsingh.

On Sunday her cousin sent her a message informing her that her aunt wasn't doing well and that she should check up on her. They found out that there were visiting hours during the weekend and rushed to the hospital. On her way to the hospital the matron informed her that Moodley was not in R Ward. "When we couldn't find her in the ward we asked the matron on duty to check her name up in the books, but to our dismay she was in none of the books. The matron then informed us that they called the old age home where she was staying before she was admitted," said Ramsingh.

Ramsingh said the home did not receive a call from the hospital but were aware that she was going to be discharged on Monday.

"I began to panic and demanded answers. I then said to the matron, if my aunt isn't in the wards then the only other place she can be is in the mortuary," said Ramsingh.

When Ramsingh questioned staff at the hospital about the days leading up to her aunt’s death, she was told that for days no one had come to check up on Moodley.

Ravi Naidoo, the eldest son of Moodley, said that he went to the hospital on Thursday to see his mother but he was turned away even though his mother was on her deathbed. "What they did was wrong, not telling us that she died was wrong. I went to see her on the day she died and they wouldn't let me in," said Naidoo.

"We called so many times and nobody answered. I urge everyone with family members in the hospital to check up on their loved ones during this time because the hospital will not call you," said Naidoo.

However, chairperson of the Northdale Hospital Board Hlalani Zondi said that Moodley was discharged before the strike.

“Regarding the patient who passed away in R ward it was said she was from the old age home. The patient was discharged long before the strike. The nurse contacted the home several times using her cellphone and the calls were not going through. There were no next of kin details.

“I’m quite disturbed and disappointed at the continued attacks on the institution given all that we have tried to do to bring change and appeal to the community to work with us,” said Zondi.