A Zimbabwean woman is said to have died at Krugersdorp hospital due to bleeding after giving birth allegedly after being neglected by health caregivers at the institutions.
The Star reports that Luyanda Moyo, 21, a Zimbabwean immigrant who visited South African medical centres to give birth but was allegedly met with poor treatment and lack of attention because of her nationality.
Moyo gave birth at the Yusuf Dadoo hospital in Krugersdorp to a baby weighing 4kg.
Despite complaining of pain and excessive bleeding, she alleged that the medical staff in the maternity ward did not pay attention to her.
Luyanda’s uncle, Gibson Tshuma, told “The Star” that she was so neglected to the point of being the last patient in the ward.
Nurses found Luyanda dead hours after giving birth, according to The Star.
Her family is calling for an investigation into her death.
Tshuma said the family was concerned that the statements uttered by Limpopo Health MEC, Phophi Rmathuba, could have caused the staff at the hospital to have a negative attitude towards illegal Zimbabweans seeking medical attention in parts of South Africa.
Tshuma said when they found Luyanda’s body in the hospital her clothes were covered in blood.
The hospital failed to explain what happened to Luyanda. Tshuma said:
Based on the messages on her cellphone she was overdue and she was given an inducing pill even though they acknowledged that the baby was too big for her to deliver naturally.
We are demanding answers as to what happened, we are not getting clear answers.
They induced her even when they had observed an operation was necessary and then she was ignored when she was bleeding to death.
In some voice notes that Luyanda shared with her mother before she died, she said:
It’s so painful… they haven’t checked on me, I think they will come today.
Luyanda’s baby boy survived and is with his grandmother but the family said it was still left with a million questions concerning how Luyanda died.
The family is preparing for Luyanda’s body to be transported back to Zimbabwe where her funeral will take place.
Zimbabwe’s healthcare system collapsed decades ago and most public health institutions do not have even the basics while the cost of medication in private ones is beyond the reach of the common man.