Allegations of neglect at Heideveld Day Clinic spark outrage
A still from the video of the room the young boy, who was in pain, was allegedly kept in while he waited to be seen at Heideveld Clinic on Monday June 9.
Image: Nabeelah Mohedeen
A Manenberg mother has expressed her shock and horror after her young son was allegedly neglected at Heideveld Day Clinic.
The incident on Monday, which was shared by the family in a video clip, has also highlighted concerns about the state of public healthcare services.
The young boy, whose identity has been withheld to protect his privacy, was taken to the clinic by his grandmother at around 5pm after complaining of widespread pain.
According to the boy's mother, who arrived at the clinic a while later after leaving work, she learned that her son had not been attended to, despite his evident suffering.
Instead, he was reportedly placed in what appears to be a hospital storeroom with soiled clothing, cleaning supplies, and bloody bedding.
The mother recounted her frantic rush from work only to find her son still waiting for treatment.
"I decided that I would take him home because no one was seeing to him," she said.
She said health staff suggested a referral to Groote Schuur Hospital, but only after saying that her son's condition was not serious.
They left the clinic just after 2am.
GOOD party councillor Siyabulela Mamkeli expressed his disappointment, labelling the experience as a reflection of a "broken, underfunded" healthcare system that requires immediate intervention.
"The room, which reportedly doubles as a space to rinse bedpans, is clearly not fit for human care. It has been alleged that even the clothing of deceased patients is stored there, and that stray cats roam the facility freely, posing serious health risks to vulnerable patients.
"No one should be subjected to this kind of neglect in a public facility, least of all children The right to health is enshrined in our Constitution, yet incidents like this show how far we are from realising equality," he said.
In response, Samantha Lee-Jacobs, spokesperson for the provincial health and wellness department's Klipfontein/Mitchell's Plain substructure, said the patient was attended to in what they referred to as the fracture room, allegedly used to prioritise the privacy of minor patients during times of overflow from the emergency department.
“Heideveld EC is in the process of clearing clutter to improve patient experience. We can assure our patients that there is no medical waste contained in the room. The Western Cape department of health and wellness acknowledge the frustration of both mother and patient in the Heideveld EC video.
"We sincerely apologise for the unintended negative experience she and her son encountered," she said.
Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel.
Cape Argus