A KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) family plans to sue the Provincial Health Department for medical negligence after the death of their daughter.
Amanda Alexander, a chronic Lupus patient, was a patient at Addington Hospital. The family alleges she died after not receiving her lupus medication.
Her distraught mother says she is still shocked at the neglect and treatment Amanda received at Addington Hospital. Amanda had developed sores in her mouth and slept in her own urine. It was then that she requested that Amanda be transferred to Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital.
KZN family is suing the provincial health department for medical negligence
She says she also found out that her daughter had not received any of her lupus medication a day before her death.
“Three times they called the doctor and she refused to come until a trainee doctor heard me begging them to call the doctor- only to find out, as a mother, they were not giving my child her lupus medication from Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I had given the doctor the medication, she wet herself and I was the one who had to change her. She did not eat, they did not take care of my child,” says the mother.
Responding to the allegations, the head of KwaZulu-Natal Health Department says it has requested a medical report from the hospital and is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.
“The report has come to my office but not complete, as such we are waiting for a more comprehensive report, but as soon as we get the comprehensive report, we will be able to speak to the family first about the report so as to what has been said to us and therefore be able to respond to media issues.”
