DOCTORS usually rank high on our list of people we trust . We trust them with our lives - literally. But should we?
As the saying goes, to err is human, but can doctors afford to make a mistake when it comes to diagnosing a patient? And, should we put it down to human error, or is there something we can do about it?
Some people have been misdiagnosed with, in some cases, dire consequences.
Mmabatho Langa, a 27-year-old retail store assistant from Molapo in Soweto, says she tragically lost her mother after a doctor failed her.
"My mother was a chronic diabetes patient, and we all knew that. When she fell ill and went to the doctor, she was given more diabetes medication, and told that her symptoms, which included abdominal pain and an odd, dark colour when she went to the toilet were signs to up her diabetes medication, and a poor diet. My mother changed her diet and followed the doctor's orders, but tragically lost her life after a month or so."
Langa says that it wasn't until the postmortem report came that she raised an eyebrow.
"The report read that she died from her gall bladder bursting. I was left confused, angered and hurt. She was always in immense pain, and for her to be indirectly told it was her fault because she had a poor diet, really angered me. But I didn't know who to talk to about it, or who to complain to. So I just let it go."
Tebogo Ziane, a 28-year-old music producer from Mabopane in Pretoria, says his misdiagnosis was the doctor telling him that he needed to undergo surgery to have a perianal abscess removed.
"I was in extreme pain, I couldn't even sit down. The first doctor told me it needed to be drained, and wrote me a referral to Baragwanath hospital to have the surgery."
After initially procrastinating because of work commitments, the pain got worse.
"I decided to see another doctor, because I had run out of medication that the first doctor had given me, which wasn't really effective. He took one look and said I had piles. He was also shocked the first doctor had told me to have surgery. I was left perplexed. This really opened my eyes to the fact that not every doctor knows what they are talking about," he said.
Can one complain and try to hold doctors who give us wrong information accountable?
"Yes, one could speak to the Health Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA)," says Dr John-Wesley Pooe, a practicioner in Jabulani in Soweto.
"It's actually quite common for doctors to mistakenly diagnose someone. The truth is, it's not always clear what the problem is. For example, a cough could be caused by six different things."
According to the HPCSA website, a person can lay a complaint against most healthcare practitioners they feel have not adhered to the code of practice, which includes giving out correct information.
On a simple fill-in form on its website, one fills in their details, the name of the practitioner, and the nature of the complaint.
It is a criminal offence for medical practitioners not to sign up with the council, which will investigate and offer a full report.
Lymphoma - misunderstood, misdiagnosed
TODAY is World Lymphoma Awareness Day, a significant day in the lives of more than one million people worldwide who are living with this aggressive type of cancer.
According to the Lymphoma Coalition, a non-profit network organisation of patient groups from around the world, more than 1000 people are diagnosed daily, yet the disease remains misunderstood and is often misdiagnosed.
The disease is a type of blood cancer involving the lymphocytes in the body which are cells of the immune system that help fight infection that can form a cancerous tumour when they start transforming and multiplying uncontrollably.
Lymphoma-afflicted people often lack energy, experience unexplained fever, swollen glands, incessant coughs, night sweats, persistent itching all over the body and general, unexplained weight loss.
To help spread the word and effectively preach the educational gospel, the Lymphoma Coalition is leading two awareness and education campaigns: namely, the "Be Cancer Aware" and the " I am the Voice of Lymphoma" campaigns.
The campaigns' spokeswoman, Jeanelle Smuts, says that this year's public cancer awareness and education campaigns will take a different tack.
"Instead of profiling the numerous lymphoma survivors and patients across the country, they are speaking out," Smuts said at the weekend.
Smuts said lymphoma advocates and survivors who would be lending their voices to the campaigns include comedian Kevin Perkins, pictured, who was reportedly a carefree student when he was diagnosed with lymphoma aged 19.
"The World Lymphoma Awareness Campaign is a move in the right direction," he said.
"I am proud to lend my voice to the campaigns. I look forward to helping out." - Victor Mecoamere
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
We trust them with our lives - when the doctors diagnosis is wrong
DOCTORS usually rank high on our list of people we trust . We trust them with our lives - literally. But should we?
As the saying goes, to err is human, but can doctors afford to make a mistake when it comes to diagnosing a patient? And, should we put it down to human error, or is there something we can do about it?
Some people have been misdiagnosed with, in some cases, dire consequences.
Mmabatho Langa, a 27-year-old retail store assistant from Molapo in Soweto, says she tragically lost her mother after a doctor failed her.
"My mother was a chronic diabetes patient, and we all knew that. When she fell ill and went to the doctor, she was given more diabetes medication, and told that her symptoms, which included abdominal pain and an odd, dark colour when she went to the toilet were signs to up her diabetes medication, and a poor diet. My mother changed her diet and followed the doctor's orders, but tragically lost her life after a month or so."
Langa says that it wasn't until the postmortem report came that she raised an eyebrow.
"The report read that she died from her gall bladder bursting. I was left confused, angered and hurt. She was always in immense pain, and for her to be indirectly told it was her fault because she had a poor diet, really angered me. But I didn't know who to talk to about it, or who to complain to. So I just let it go."
Tebogo Ziane, a 28-year-old music producer from Mabopane in Pretoria, says his misdiagnosis was the doctor telling him that he needed to undergo surgery to have a perianal abscess removed.
"I was in extreme pain, I couldn't even sit down. The first doctor told me it needed to be drained, and wrote me a referral to Baragwanath hospital to have the surgery."
After initially procrastinating because of work commitments, the pain got worse.
"I decided to see another doctor, because I had run out of medication that the first doctor had given me, which wasn't really effective. He took one look and said I had piles. He was also shocked the first doctor had told me to have surgery. I was left perplexed. This really opened my eyes to the fact that not every doctor knows what they are talking about," he said.
Can one complain and try to hold doctors who give us wrong information accountable?
"Yes, one could speak to the Health Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA)," says Dr John-Wesley Pooe, a practicioner in Jabulani in Soweto.
"It's actually quite common for doctors to mistakenly diagnose someone. The truth is, it's not always clear what the problem is. For example, a cough could be caused by six different things."
According to the HPCSA website, a person can lay a complaint against most healthcare practitioners they feel have not adhered to the code of practice, which includes giving out correct information.
On a simple fill-in form on its website, one fills in their details, the name of the practitioner, and the nature of the complaint.
It is a criminal offence for medical practitioners not to sign up with the council, which will investigate and offer a full report.
Lymphoma - misunderstood, misdiagnosed
TODAY is World Lymphoma Awareness Day, a significant day in the lives of more than one million people worldwide who are living with this aggressive type of cancer.
According to the Lymphoma Coalition, a non-profit network organisation of patient groups from around the world, more than 1000 people are diagnosed daily, yet the disease remains misunderstood and is often misdiagnosed.
The disease is a type of blood cancer involving the lymphocytes in the body which are cells of the immune system that help fight infection that can form a cancerous tumour when they start transforming and multiplying uncontrollably.
Lymphoma-afflicted people often lack energy, experience unexplained fever, swollen glands, incessant coughs, night sweats, persistent itching all over the body and general, unexplained weight loss.
To help spread the word and effectively preach the educational gospel, the Lymphoma Coalition is leading two awareness and education campaigns: namely, the "Be Cancer Aware" and the " I am the Voice of Lymphoma" campaigns.
The campaigns' spokeswoman, Jeanelle Smuts, says that this year's public cancer awareness and education campaigns will take a different tack.
"Instead of profiling the numerous lymphoma survivors and patients across the country, they are speaking out," Smuts said at the weekend.
Smuts said lymphoma advocates and survivors who would be lending their voices to the campaigns include comedian Kevin Perkins, pictured, who was reportedly a carefree student when he was diagnosed with lymphoma aged 19.
"The World Lymphoma Awareness Campaign is a move in the right direction," he said.
"I am proud to lend my voice to the campaigns. I look forward to helping out." - Victor Mecoamere
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
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