Pain awaits aggrieved patient

Mpho Mokwape | Friday October 2, 2015 18:00

 

Kereemang has filed a lawsuit against the hospital, but Lenmed has denied any link with the doctor who operated on her.

Through her lawyer, Malcolm Gobhoza, Kereemang is demanding P1.5 million in compensation.

In the lawsuit, Kereemang stated that she was admitted into theatre and Dr Bridget Galebole conducted a surgical procedure to remove a tumor or cyst.

She was then discharged from the hospital. A few days later she started experiencing extreme and severe pain, which was accompanied by vaginal discharge, she said in court papers.

According to her court papers, Kereemang said she returned to Dr Galebole, who advised her to visit any clinic because she had an infection.

“I visited Maunatlala clinic, which referred me to Palapye hospital, then Sekgoma hospital and was finally taken to Nyangabgwe hospital and upon examination by doctors I was told that my urinary bladder was cut and was referred to Dr Labuscagne and Vennote Partners in Pretoria to be examined on my condition,” her court papers said.

Kereemang explained that a radiological procedure showed that her uterus was absent, there was a small amount of air seen in the urinary bladder and no pelvic masses seen.

Surgical procedures conducted in June and July 2013 by Dr Hugo Van der Merwe, a urologist from the Pretoria Urology Hospital showed that the patient had multiple fistulas draining puss from her wound, had a large vesico-vaginal fistula, had frozen pelvis with severe and multiple small bowel troublesome adhesions between her small bowel and the pelvic wall, meaning that she was left permanently disfigured.

“I have to live my entire life without certain significant parts of my body including the urinary bladder and pelvic masses and as such I cannot urinate in a natural way, my matrimonial roles are limited because of the artificial tubes fitted and that has impacted negatively on my marriage,” Kereemang explained.

She pointed out that the doctor was negligent in cutting and removing her body parts, she did not exercise due diligence and did not exhibit reasonable care, skill and knowledge required of her profession.

Her lawyer argued that she is struggling to perform other natural things such as responding to nature’s call.

However, the hospital through lawyers denies any liability to the allegations saying Dr Galebole was an independent doctor and was not their employee.

In his answering affidavit, the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Ruben Naidoo, denied the allegations raised by Kereemang.

He stated that the hospital was not liable for damages. He stated in his affidavit that Galebole was never an employee of Lenmed Health Bokamoso Private Hospital.

The hospital concedes that the patient was admitted in its facility but was not indebted to her because she was admitted with instruction from Dr Galebole.

Naidoo also denied any correspondence between Kereemang and the hospital, but said that she contacted Dr Galebole directly.

On the list of medical institutions that Kereemang said she attended, the CEO denied that he was aware of such.

“The hospital is not indebted to her and we pray that the suit be dismissed with costs,” Naidoo said.

Reached for comment, Dr Galebole said she was not in a position to comment because she was not aware of any lawsuit or the court documents in question.

“I will have to enquire first then I will be in a better position to comment in future,” she said.

Quizzed on whether the hospital management did not at any point contact her with regards to the lawsuit, she maintained that she was not in a position to divulge such information.