Negligence cost Gauteng health 'close to R100m'

25 July 2011 - 02:20 By HARRIET MCLEA
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Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital. File photo.
Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital. File photo.
Image: Katherine Muick © Sunday Times.

Not only are negligent hospital staff costing the country millions, but they are also causing otherwise healthy babies to be born with severe brain damage and cerebral palsy.

Medical litigation lawyer Stephen Flowers estimated that the Gauteng province alone paid out "close to R100-million" last year in medical negligence law suits.

Details of claims against Gauteng hospitals and clinics were revealed in a report to the provincial public accounts committee last month.

One claim against the province for "alleged negligence", at Natalspruit Hospital, is for R15.1-million. It is alleged that: "A patient gave birth to a baby without staff help and as a result the baby fell to the floor and was left brain-damaged."

Another claim for R3- million details "alleged negligence in delivering a baby which resulted in baby born with twisted arm who later died" at Oliver Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg.

Of the 101 claims against the Gauteng department of health last year, 33 involved complications at birth. In 25 of these cases there was permanent brain damage resulting in cerebral palsy.

Medical litigation specialist Ronald Bobroff said KwaZulu-Natal, North West, Mpumalanga and Limpopo had equally bad records. The Eastern Cape's record is "horrendous", he said, while Western Cape had a much lower claims record against it.

Gauteng health department spokesman Simon Zwane said: "These claims have not been finalised by any court yet and we believe some of the cases are defendable ."

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