'DUMPED OUTSIDE HOSPITAL'

A GOOD Samaritan was left geskok after encountering a wheelchair-bound patient left stranded on the pavement outside of Groote Schuur Hospital.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said she was visiting another patient at the hospital when she saw the frail patient named Imraan Isaacs.

She said when she saw the staff leaving him alone, she intervened.

The woman explains: “I intervened after what I had seen and was not going to walk past and let a frail, 31-kg emaciated, extremely ill patient be left on the side of the road.

“The porters were not helpful in any way. I had no alternative but to take serious action with regards to the care of the gentleman. 

“I pushed him back into the hospital, and was told to complain at room E11, but being “after hours”, there was no one available to assist. I went to the front-desk reception and the gentleman on duty told me to please take him back to the trauma ward, which I did.”

After Imraan was assessed by a nurse and doctor on duty, they agreed that the patient was not fit and able to be discharged.

He was then readmitted into the ward to receive proper care.

he woman adds: “The doctors and nurses at trauma were extremely helpful, and one porter by the name of Loyiso was helping me. The porter ladies in the kiosk close to the tunnel, P4 entrance, told me that I am a visitor and cannot ask or tell them to help.

“I have since heard from others that those porters also refuse when called to help anyone, and sit on phones all day and are not interested in conducting their duties as set out in their employment contract.”

She then reached out on Facebook to trace Imraan’s family who eventually responded to her.

Imraan’s sister and aunt met the woman and the hospital on 3 June to discuss his condition along with the ward manager and social worker.

His family requested that he be moved to Lentegeur Hospital.

She also emailed Premier Alan Winde to probe the incident and Winde confirmed that the matter would be investigated. 

The Daily Voice also contacted the Western Cape Department of Health, with communications officer Dwayne Evans saying: “We’ll look into this and respond as soon as we can.”