Durban - A week after the death of three-year-old Zuhaira Mohammed, who fell from a bed at the RK Khan hospital in Chatsworth, a witness has described the incident.
Sydenham mother Falcon Stuart Earle was in the paediatric ward with her nine-month-old baby who had been admitted for diarrhoea.
Earle said she was devastated by Zuhaira’s death because she witnessed the “horrible” manner in which the doctors and nurses handled the situation.
“It could have been my baby. It could have been anyone’s child. My heart bleeds for the parents.
“I watched with shock as her mother ran into the ward to pick her child up and wipe the blood off her face,” said Earle.
Zuhaira was admitted to the hospital on April 8 after she experienced severe headaches.
Her parents Rahima, 27, and Ekrum, 32, of Tongaat said she was admitted overnight for observations after tests for meningitis were negative.
They said their baby was well during the night but during the early hours of Saturday, Rahima had been asked to leave the ward along with the other mothers due to cleaning and a shift change.
Rahima said shortly after she left, a doctor told her that the child was on the floor and that she must go and pick her up.
She rushed into the ward and saw there was blood all over Zuhaira’s face and said doctors ignored her crying child. She wiped off the blood and questioned medical staff, but she alleged they apologised and said they “were extremely busy”.
The parents claim that after the fall, Zuhaira’s health deteriorated rapidly. She was taken for a CT scan, put on life support and died shortly afterwards. The Mohammeds want answers.
“The hospital contacted us on Wednesday and said they wanted to have a meeting with us. I told them that my husband was at work and they should contact him but we have not heard from them since.
“We also requested the hospital records and they said that the records had been sent to Albert Luthuli hospital and they did not have the copies with them,” said Rahima.
Zuhaira’s story went viral after being published online last week.
On the Sunday Tribune’s Facebook page, thousands of people voiced their opinions on the incident calling it a tragedy.
Naresh Keshav said: “My deepest condolences to the bereaved family. This is one of many hospitals I’ve heard where patients don’t come out alive. What happened to the oath the doctors and nurses took? Sue this hospital for every cent.”
Another reader Rosh Reddy said: “Careless, incompetent, heartless, inconsiderate and negligent. Those nurses and doctors are a disgrace to their profession. My sympathies go out to the parents on the loss of their sweet little angel. RIP little one.”
Rahima said she was thankful for the support from the public.
Despite several attempts to get answers from the Department of Health, they said that they would not be commenting on the incident.
Meanwhile, police spokesperson Major Thulani Zwane confirmed that Zuhaira’s death was being investigated.
Sunday Tribune