Pumza Fihlani
Pumza Fihlani
The Mpumalanga Health Department is investigating nurses at the Mapulaneng Hospital after a Bushbuckridge infant lost four fingers because of "negligence".
According to the child's mother, Khensani Ngobeni, 19, nurses at the hospital forgot to remove a wrist band after fitting a drip to the child's arm.
The incident happened last year after 11-month-old Angel Ngobeni was admitted to the hospital.
Angel was admitted after suffering from diarrhoea. Her right arm was bound above her elbow so that nurses could find a vein into which they could insert a drip.
But they forgot to remove the binding that then hampered the blood flow to her fingers, damaging them. As a result she had to have emergency surgery and four of her fingers were amputated. She had four operations on her hand and was hospitalised for three months.
Health Department spokesman Mpho Gabashane said the department was investigating a case of negligence. He said the findings would determine the severity of the punishment.
"We are holding interviews with certain staff members. If it is discovered that there was negligence on the part of our staff members, proper steps will be taken."
Probe into how infant lost fingers
Pumza Fihlani
Pumza Fihlani
The Mpumalanga Health Department is investigating nurses at the Mapulaneng Hospital after a Bushbuckridge infant lost four fingers because of "negligence".
According to the child's mother, Khensani Ngobeni, 19, nurses at the hospital forgot to remove a wrist band after fitting a drip to the child's arm.
The incident happened last year after 11-month-old Angel Ngobeni was admitted to the hospital.
Angel was admitted after suffering from diarrhoea. Her right arm was bound above her elbow so that nurses could find a vein into which they could insert a drip.
But they forgot to remove the binding that then hampered the blood flow to her fingers, damaging them. As a result she had to have emergency surgery and four of her fingers were amputated. She had four operations on her hand and was hospitalised for three months.
Health Department spokesman Mpho Gabashane said the department was investigating a case of negligence. He said the findings would determine the severity of the punishment.
"We are holding interviews with certain staff members. If it is discovered that there was negligence on the part of our staff members, proper steps will be taken."