Clinic visit leaves woman’s arm mutilated
A Mtubatuba woman has been left with a mutilated arm after clinic visit
SIZAKELE Mkhwanazi (57) of Mtubatuba went to the KwaMsane clinic in January for treatment of a foot injury, but ended up with a serious infection which left her with a mutilated upper arm.
Mkhwanazi claims she was given an injection with an unsterilized needle.
‘After suffering from intense pain for days, my daughters took me to Hlabisa Hospital. I was admitted for a week, but never received any diagnosis except for some painkillers,’ Mkhwanazi said.
Her family then moved her to Ngwelezana Hospital, where she was told she suffered from an infection likely caused by the injection.
‘At Ngwelezana I was operated on, with chunks of flesh removed from my upper left arm. The infection had eaten away much of the flesh, almost to the bone.
‘To patch up the part where I was operated on, the doctors had to cut skin from my thigh. I have suffered so much pain through this whole ordeal, which I believe could have been avoided if the nurses at KwaMsane clinic had done their work properly,’ Mkhwanazi said.
The family is unhappy about the clinic’s carelessness, saying they have spent a lot of money travelling from one hospital to another for the specialised treatment.
They also fear their mother’s work at the Mtubatuba clinic will now be in jeopardy because of her injury.
Department of Health response
Responding to the ZO’s enquiry, KZN Department of Health Spokesperson Sam Mkhwanazi said, ‘It is not the policy of government to discuss confidential and clinical information of a patient with third parties, including the media, unless this is required by law.
‘Patients aggrieved for whatever reason are requested to approach the office of a Public Relations Officer to register their complaints, or request to speak with management.’
