A woman who was 29 weeks pregnant was found hanging in a bathroom at Kopanong District Hospital in Vereeniging, Sedibeng, on Saturday morning, the Gauteng department of health said on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old patient had been taken to the hospital's accident and emergency unit by emergency medical services personnel escorted by her mother.
“Upon admission, the mother said the patient was displaying abnormal behaviour which the department cannot disclose due to patient-doctor confidentiality,” it said in a statement.
The department said the patient was then seen by a doctor who diagnosed her. After diagnosis, she was admitted at the maternity ward due to her being more than seven months pregnant.
The doctor prescribed sedation and restraints, which were applied. The patient was later nursed in a side ward due to her condition being triggered by crying babies.
“During the early hours of Saturday morning, while the nursing staff were doing their rounds, they noticed that the patient was not on her bed. Upon looking for her, they made the gruesome discovery and found the patient hanging by her headscarf in the bathroom.”
The incident was reported to the police, who have opened an inquest docket.
He said the department’s quality assurance unit will conduct an internal investigation as the incident was regarded as a patient safety incident.
“The internal processes are expected to take not more than 60 days to conclude, independent of the police investigation.”
TimesLIVE
Pregnant woman found hanging in Kopanong hospital bathroom
Image: 123rf/Derweduwen Marrcel
A woman who was 29 weeks pregnant was found hanging in a bathroom at Kopanong District Hospital in Vereeniging, Sedibeng, on Saturday morning, the Gauteng department of health said on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old patient had been taken to the hospital's accident and emergency unit by emergency medical services personnel escorted by her mother.
“Upon admission, the mother said the patient was displaying abnormal behaviour which the department cannot disclose due to patient-doctor confidentiality,” it said in a statement.
The department said the patient was then seen by a doctor who diagnosed her. After diagnosis, she was admitted at the maternity ward due to her being more than seven months pregnant.
The doctor prescribed sedation and restraints, which were applied. The patient was later nursed in a side ward due to her condition being triggered by crying babies.
“During the early hours of Saturday morning, while the nursing staff were doing their rounds, they noticed that the patient was not on her bed. Upon looking for her, they made the gruesome discovery and found the patient hanging by her headscarf in the bathroom.”
The incident was reported to the police, who have opened an inquest docket.
He said the department’s quality assurance unit will conduct an internal investigation as the incident was regarded as a patient safety incident.
“The internal processes are expected to take not more than 60 days to conclude, independent of the police investigation.”
TimesLIVE
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