Medical staff negligent in child death

13 September 2011 - 02:38 By ESTELLE ELLIS
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In s damning indictment against medical staff at Dora Nginza's maternity unit, a Port Elizabeth High Court judge has found that negligence by nurses and doctors caused a Kleinskool woman's baby to die during birth.

Despite being classified as a high-risk patient, Olene Hoffman was only taken to theatre for a Caesarian section four hours after a monitor showed signs of foetal distress, even though an operating theatre had been available.

In his judgment, Judge Phakamisa Tshiki said nothing had been done to help Hoffman or her baby. He said nurses on duty had not listened to Hoffman when she explained her medical history of diabetes and high blood pressure.

He also dismissed the excuse from hospital staff that they were busy, saying that as a public hospital they should have been able to handle "hundreds of women" coming there to give birth.

Hoffman is suing the Department of Health for R330000 for pain, suffering, depression and post-traumatic stress. Her legal team will negotiate with the department to determine a payout. If they cannot reach an agreement, the matter will revert back to court.

"It does not matter how much in damages I get, I will never get over her death," Hoffmann said yesterday, on what would have been her daughter's seventh birthday.

Hoffman was told that she would have to have a Caesarean section and would, as a result, have to go to Dora Nginza Hospital when she went into labour. The court heard that she was already in "terrible pain" when she arrived.

Her friend, Elizabeth van Brises, who accompanied her to hospital told the court that a nurse examined Hoffmann and then came back with a machine that was used to monitor the baby's heartbeat.

The monitor showed that, from about 9pm on the night of September 11 2004, the baby started showing signs of foetal distress.

Van Bresis said she tried to alert the nurses to this and even scolded and swore at a nurse. A doctor arrived about an hour later.

Tshiki said it was clear the hospital had missed its last chance to save Hoffman's baby.

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