Sefati�s Family Demands Records From Princess Marina
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Monday February 27, 2017 17:20
The family lawyer, Martin Dingake has sent the hospital a statutory notice demanding it to give the family their daughter’s and granddaughter’s post mortem and other medical reports.
Dingake, who is representing Tsholofelo’s fiancée Joshua Matsime and her mother Mmamontsho Sefati, stated that the deceased was admitted and hospitalised at PMH on the January 20, 2017.
“Tsholofelo had attended to hospital for purposes of delivery of the baby. On the January 21, 2017 she was operated so as to help her give birth to a baby named Pelonomi Treasure Sefati. On January 22, 2017 midday, Tsholofelo passed on while she was still at PMH while later on February 8, 2017 baby Treasure passed on,” he noted. Dingake also stated that they were under instructions to demand, “as we hereby do, the following; post-mortem reports as to the probable cause of death of both Tsholofelo and Treasure, medical records of the mother (Tsholofelo), hand-written notes of all doctors and/or nurses who attended to the mother (Tsholofelo) from the January 20-21 this year, handwritten notes of all doctors and/or nurses who attended to the child, Treasure from January 21, 2017 till February 8, 2017”.
He also demands the hospital to give them medical records of the child, Treasure and all medical records and opinions of doctors from Princess Marina Hospital and any medical records and/or opinion, relating to both the child and mother as not covered above.
“We advise that the said information is urgently requested to advise the client on the next cause of action.
Clients have consented and thus waived the confidentiality of this information to us and agreed that we be granted the said information and/or documentation as their agents,” he stated. “The claimants have demanded the said documents from the hospital but to no avail. Notwithstanding the demand and on obligation to comply therewith, the Superintendent of Princess Marina Hospital has refused, failed and or neglected to provide the requested documentary medical records. The Attorney General of the Republic of Botswana is therefore put on Statutory Notice that at the expiry of the period given the Claimants shall institute legal proceedings, costs of which shall be on your account,” he stated. Dingake said that he has given the hospital 30 days to give the family the medical documents and failure to do so would force them to take the matter before court.
Earlier the deceased’s mother, Mmamontsho disclosed that the family wanted justice for their daughter’s death. She said she believed that if PMH medical staff had paid attention to her daughter’s cry for help she could have been alive.
“I want closure. I need explanations as to what had killed my daughter. That is when I can let her rest in peace,” she said.