A heartbroken mom has slammed staff from the Hanover Park Clinic for sending her sick child home, saying their negligence resulted in the death of the seven-month-old baby.
Speaking to the Daily Voice, mom Sonique Hammond says despite spiking a fever of 39°C and her eyes rolling back in her head, staff only gave her child a Panado and sent her home.
Sonique explains that on Monday she noted that her daughter Mataya was feeling warm and rushed her to the clinic.
“That is the baby clinic here in Hanover Park and my daughter has gone there for all her immunisations,” she says.
“She was vuurwarm and when I got there they said her temperature was 39°C. They didn’t even check her out at all.
“They took her sweater, put it in cold water and put it back on her and told me to sit outside to help bring the temperature down.
“They gave her Panado and said [her temperature] was 37°C and I can go home even though I told them she has a runny stomach. They just gave her water in a syringe.
“I was confused because that is still high for a baby, but they are the medical people and so I believed them. Her eyes were even dopping om in her head but they said I must not worry.”
Little Mataya first went to sleep when they arrived home but when she refused her bottle, Sonique took her to the Hanover Park Day Hospital.
“They rushed her immediately to the emergency section and said she was very, very sick,” the traumatised mom says.
“The doctors did everything but they could not save her. They called me and told me that she had a lung infection, pneumonia and gastro.
“Now how did they not see this at the baby clinic? I am a first-time mother and I don’t know everything but I went there for help and they failed me.”
Health department spokesperson Monique Johnstone confirms that Mataya died in hospital at the Day Hospital.
“The infant was rushed to Hanover Park Community Health Centre on 25 October with fever, diarrhoea, and coughing after initially being treated at the City Clinic, which is managed by the City of Cape Town.
“Upon arrival at the trauma unit, the medical team found at the initial assessment there was no evidence of life, no movement, no heartbeat/pulse, and no breath sounds, and she was found to be dehydrated on examination.
“Resuscitation was immediately commenced but after 40 minutes of CPR, unfortunately, the infant was unresponsive at which point she was declared dead.
“The case was discussed with the district paediatrician and the mother was counselled and will be provided with supportive counselling going forward.”
City spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo did not respond to questions posed, but says: “All complaints and allegations of negligence are investigated by the City’s health department. We are looking into the claims and will respond once we have the details and will respond once we have the details.”
Sonique is demanding a full investigation, saying City staff who sent her home should be held responsible for the death of her baby.