A Pelican Park family is blaming two Cape hospitals after their one-year-old baby died in their care.
The parents of baby Jay-Jay Thys say that negligence from Retreat and Red Cross hospitals led to the death of their son.
The little boy, who has a twin brother Cee-Jay, died in hospital last Thursday.
Mother Chantay Thys, 19, says her son’s problems started after he was bitten by a dog.
“In December, Jay-Jay got bitten by a pit bull and we took him to Retreat Day Hospital,” she explains.
“They just stitched him up and sent him home. They didn’t check him or give him any shots. It was after this incident that he started getting fits.
“We took him back to the day hospital and we told them this has got to do with the dog bite, but they kept on telling us it was not possible.
“They didn’t even check or investigate. They said my child has TB Meningitis and gave him TB tablets and referred him to Red Cross.”
GRIEVING: Jerome Thys, 35, at Jay-Jay's side prior to the child's death. CREDIT: Supplied
Jay-Jay’s father Jerome, 35, remained at his son’s side and says when Red Cross nurses told him to go home and “freshen up”; he never imagined he would return to find his worst nightmare come true.
“I was by his side day and night. I was there from Sunday until Wednesday (3 May),” he says.
“A nurse told me to go home and freshen up. She told me I don’t have to worry, there will be 24/7 supervision over him in ICU.
“I came back Thursday, early morning, to discover there was no one watching him. He [Jay-Jay] got a fit and started choking.
“I went looking for a nurse or doctor as there was no one. My child was alone, not long after that he was brain dead,” the heartbroken dad says.
Chantay says she is angry because no doctor would listen to the family when asked to examine the dog bite, and when Jay-Jay passed away, she was told he died from infection as a result of the bite.
“We told them it’s the dog bite making him sick,” she insists.
“On Friday the doctor phoned us to say the results came back and it was the dog bite that killed my child.
“They didn’t want to listen to me, now they want to say sorry? Now they want to have a meeting?
“I will go to that meeting; I want answers for my child’s death.
“They left my child just so. They couldn’t keep my child alive. They’re negligent! My child is dead, now they want to do tests.”
The Deputy Director for Communications for the Western Cape Health Department, Mark van der Heever, says the department is investigating the allegations of negligence made by the family.
“The department considers the allegation of negligence very serious and have already initiated an investigation into the family’s concerns,” he says.
“We pride ourselves in delivering quality healthcare to every citizen and will have the matter thoroughly investigated and communicate with the family in this regard.”