Johannesburg – A report into the death of the man who complained of being starved for two days at Tembisa Hospital five days before his death has been completed.
Shonisani Lethole who was admitted at the hospital with Covid-19 in July took to Twitter to complain to Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize that it was unbearable at the facility, that staff didn’t seem to care and that he did not eat for 48 hours.
Lethole died five days after sending the tweet and close friends and business associates took to social media to express their frustrations at the Department of Health.
Mkhize later lodged a complaint with the Health Ombudsman Professor Malegapuru Makgoba to investigate the circumstances surrounding the care and death of Lethole at the hospital.
Ricardo Mahlakanya of the Ombusdsman’s office confirmed on Thursday that the investigation was completed.
“A preliminary report has been prepared and shared with all relevant persons including Tembisa Tertiary Hospital.
“The final report will be released in January 2021 once all the necessary processes have been completed,” he said.
In the wake of Lethole’s death and the subsequent criticism levelled at the hospital, The Sunday Independent spoke to Tembisa Hospital staff who said they were shocked and saddened that he had written the tweet out of anger because he had been denied having the Nando's takeaway which was brought to him by a family member.
A senior manager at the hospital, who did not want to be identified due to a fear of victimisation, told the paper that Lethole was admitted with Covid-19 symptoms on June 23.
He was admitted to private ward 23 until June 27, when he was intubated.
The manager revealed a report showing a three-course meal which was given to Lethole on the day of his tweet, on the evening of June 25.
The report shows that he never complained or vomited up the food he ate.
The day of his tweet to the minister was the same day he was given his results confirming he was Covid-19 positive.
The staffer said the only logical explanation why Lethole could have sent such a hurtful and damaging tweet about Tembisa Hospital was that it was because he became angry when he was prevented from eating takeaways.
Asked why he was denied the food brought to him, the staffer said it was hospital policy that food from outside was not allowed because "we want to be accountable for what our patients eat“.
“Food from outside we don't know how it was prepared and also what could be inside of that food and how it will react to the patient."
IOL