The sheriff of the Grahamstown high court was awarded an order last week to attach furniture, equipment and vehicles at the head office of the department of health in Bhisho to pay the victim of a bungled operation at a state hospital.
The province has been financially jeopardised twice: once by negligent medical practitioners and secondly by the health department’s running up additional cost associated with non-payment.
A moral society with a conscience demands that the callous and uncaring officials responsible for this be disciplined.
The officials responsible for the fruitless and wasteful expenditure arising from the attachment order should be named and made to pay back the cost. Courts in Gauteng have awarded punitive damage against negligent officials.
Cecilia Goliath of Grahamstown was awarded R250 000 in damages by the high court in November last year after a surgical swab was left in her abdomen during a hysterectomy at the Dora Nginza Hospital in Zwide, Port Elizabeth .
What a disgrace – six months after the court finding the department has still not compensated Mrs. Goliath. Have this department and its officials no shame?
This has prolonged her pain and suffering following the three year court battle she has had to endure.
Tags: department of health
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