The Mitchells Plain District Hospital has again come under the spotlight after a family accused the facility of neglecting a woman by not changing her soiled nappies.
Ragiemah Hunter, 27, from Montrose Park was admitted to the hospital two weeks ago after contracting TB and pneumonia.
Her sister Mariam Parker, 39, said she entrusted the hospital with her sister even though her mother, stepfather and friends previously died there.
“I had to reassure myself everything would be OK, but it really wasn’t because everytime I would visit, my sister would be covered in her own poop, and her nappy was always dirty,” she said.
“She was always hungry because they didn’t feed her, she was not able to feed herself.
“There was even a time she burnt herself with milk because she was trying to make herself tea after the sisters ignored her.”
Mariam made a complaint but nothing changed.
She said on Friday while visiting Ragiemah, she was told that her sister would be moved to another ward, but instead she opted to voluntarily care for her at home.
“She even had bed sores when she came home, this hospital really needs help,” Mariam explains.
Western Cape Health spokesperson Monique Johnstone said Ragiemah was awaiting a transfer to a specialist hospital when her family removed her.
“While in care at Mitchells Plain Hospital, she was provided with physiotherapy while under regular assessment by the medical officer,” Johnstone explained.
“Staff were in face-to-face contact with the family member who seemed satisfied with the treatment plan and received no complaints.
“Miss Hunter was suffering from diarrhoea and staff made sure that she was changed regularly, while attending to 32 other patients.”
She said the department was currently in the process of appointing more carers at the hospital to assist with the washing and cleaning of patients as well as bed linen changes.
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za