By OBAKENG MAJE
Four nurses who were suspended for medical negligence at Taung District Hospital are back at work. In March 2021, these nurses, who were working at the maternity ward at the time, allegedly neglected a heavily pregnant woman, Kegomoditswe Tankie while giving birth.
Tankie allegedly ended up giving birth on the floor without any assistance from the nurses and the fiasco was captured on video and circulated across various social media platforms.
The North West Department of Health spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane said the investigations on the matter are still underway. Lekgethwane further said these nurses were suspended at the time to allow smooth investigations of the matter.
“Consequence management will apply if there was any transgression. However, consequence management is often not what the public perceives. Each case has its own merit and that needs to be taken into consideration.
“I can sit here with you and say somebody has pushed me that is why I broke my arm. However, one could have a different outcome depending on the investigation or witnesses. So, in this case, the investigations are not necessarily concluded,” he said.
Lekgethwane added that the department has an option of bringing those nurses back to work pending investigations and evaluation processes. He said, when it comes to patients in terms of a case of negligence, that will be another process altogether.
“We do have an internal process of investigating staff and a process of litigation, which is never started by the department. If any patient litigates, we wait for them, and then it becomes a legal process. So, until is completed, we really do not want to go into the merits of it because it will go to court until the finality of the case.
“The investigations are still ongoing and those nurses are back at work. Critically, when you suspend someone that does not mean they are necessarily guilty, but to give you time to do investigations without any hindrances,” said Lekgethwane.
Meanwhile, the North West Department of Health is allegedly faced with medical negligence cases to the potential cost of R704 million. The Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla told parliament in July 2022 that, in the 2020/21 financial year alone, the department recorded 61 cases of medical negligence claims with a potential cost of R325 million to the state.
Phaahla said in the 2021/21 financial year, the department also recorded 64 cases of civil claims with a potential cost of R379 million to the state. The top three leading hospitals with the most medical negligence claims in the 2021/22 financial year are Tshepong and Klerksdorp Complex Hospital in Klerksdorp, followed by Potchefstroom Hospital in Potchefstroom, while the Mahikeng Provincial Hospital occupies the third position.
The Guardian 