Inside Gauteng's hospital horror: R1bn paid out for negligence
From the incorrect amputation of a child's arm and leg to babies born with brain damage, the claims paint a frightening picture
Gauteng’s health department has paid just over R1-billion in medical negligence claims in the past two-and-a-half years‚ mostly for babies born with brain damage at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. The full extent of medical negligence payments in the province was revealed on Tuesday by Gauteng health MEC Gwen Ramakgopa‚ in response to questions by Democratic Alliance MPL Jack Bloom. The worst cases included a R4-million payout for a child subjected to an incorrect arm and leg amputation at Yusuf Dadoo Hospital. "They talk about the cost of arm and a leg‚ well that is the price the court put on it‚" said Bloom. But he emphasised that payouts would never be enough to undo lifelong damage done to patients. Money did not make up for the “agony and misery" faced by their families‚ he said. In another case a baby was left brain-damaged after being dropped on its head at Natalspruit Hospital. In a case at George Mukhari hospital a baby’s arm was cut during a C-section but she was kept fro...
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