Mom sues health MEC for R1.4m

Ilse de Lange

A Soweto mother who claims her kidney, bladder and urethra were severely damaged during botched surgery at the Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital is suing the Gauteng health MEC for over R1.4 million damages.

The damages claim by Novy Busakwe, 44, has been postponed indefinitely in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.

Busakwe said in court papers she was admitted to the Baragwanath hospital in November 2009 after developing pregnancy complications.

She was told there were no adequate facilities available for a Cesarean and surgery was only performed the next day.

She had to undergo an emergency operation when she started bleeding severely and was later told her uterus had been removed to stop the bleeding.

She alleged she had told the staff about a strange odour coming from her wound before she was discharged, but was told it was nothing to worry about.

She was told her wound had turned septic and was sent back to the hospital when she went to her local clinic to have clips removed from her wound.

She was only given medication and sent home after five days.

She was later re-admitted because of leaking urine and was then advised her left kidney was swollen and her bladder damaged because the urethra had been stitched to the bladder.

She was later warned her kidney might have to be removed and she had to undergo surgery to repair the urethra and bladder.

While she was in hospital she was also diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis but claimed she was not given any medication to counteract the condition. She was discharged after being fitted with a catheter, but had to be re-admitted because of severe pain, discomfort, nausea and diarrhoea.

When she went to see a gynaecologist some weeks later, she was told she had suffered severe damage to her kidney, urethra and bladder at the hands of staff at the Baragwanath hospital.

Busakwe was unable to work for some time, she was in severe pain, suffered from emotional strain and stress, lost ordinary amenities of life and faced further hospitalisation, surgery and treatment.

The MEC denied any knowledge of her allegations in court papers.

She was later warned that her kidney might have to be removed and she had to undergo surgery to repair her urethra and bladder.