In another case of alleged negligence at Jubilee Hospital, Ms Sophy Menu, from Mashimong lost her eyesight after she suffered a stroke and believes it was due to medical negligence that could have been avoided if there were dedicated health providers at Jubilee Hospital.
After she went blind, the hospital sent her away without a guiding stick for the blind and said she must go buy the stick herself.
“I was attacked by stroke in 2015 which affected my right part of my body and I lost my right eyesight.
“In 2016 I lost eyesight on both eyes and I went to Jubilee to seek help before matters could escalate but I was told there was nothing they could do.
“They did not even bother to examine me to see if there was something they could do to help. I was told to go to Garankuwa Hospital for an operation but I could not afford to get there as I am unemployed,” Said Ms Menu.
Months later she was concerned when she did not menstruate and she went to consult at Jubilee again. She said the doctor told her that it was the side effects of the stroke and she decided to consult a private doctor.
“I was shocked to be told by the private doctor that i was seven months pregnant because the doctor at Jubilee Hospital did not bother to examine me,” she said.
The transfer to Garankuwa Hospital eventually happened because she was on physiotherapy for the stroke she suffered but doctors at Garankuwa Hospital said they could not operate her eyes because they were getting smaller and she was pregnant. She decided to wait until her baby was born and later gave birth to a healthy baby girl.
“I am sad that I cannot see my babygirl and I am asking anyone to assist me recover my eyesight or to get me a guiding stick,” she pleaded.
Jubilee Hospital is a place of hope to thousands of Hammanskraal residents but continues to fail the community. The residents of Hammanskraal are asking for serious intervention to this facility as soon as possible.
Moretele Times ran a report on 7 July 2017 about the poor health service at Jubilee Hospital, and to date, no response has been given.
The matter was then escalated to the CEO of the Hospital, Ms Damaria Magano, and then to the office of the Gauteng Department of Health MEC, Ms Gwen Ramokgopa, no response was given to date from both offices.
