INTRODUCTION
In Scotland, when planning to go to Durban for business and pleasure we, as usual took out Travel Insurance, for the usual reasons but this time, being aware of medical system in Durban, where 1st world care is only available in private hospitals, we really did not want to run the risk, however small of ending up in one.
Our particular fear, ironically, was one of us, ending up in King Edward Hospital (KEH), a particularly and notoriously bad example.
This is the story of our nightmare actually occurring:
THE ACCIDENT & TRAUMA UNIT @ ST AUGUSTINE’s HOSPITAL (SAH)
At approximately 1730 3rd April Robyn fell off some stairs and was taken, by ambulance, to SAH (a private hospital). Upon arrival, were told that our Travel Insurance was not acceptable and cash ‘up front’ was demanded. We had to pay R2 000 just to get her into the unit and treated. In fact one staff member waved dismissively and said that a policy was useless there! We were not prepared for this callous indifference.
It was now after 1800, and fortunately we were able to come up with R2 000 to, at least get her into the unit.
Blood tests, CT scans and X rays were required and we came up with R410 & R6127, respectively and the prognosis was; a broken wrist and severe head trauma!
All the way through this I had feelings of surrealness and was convinced that they were going to relent and at least keep her in a ward overnight.
Just before midnite the doctor recommended that she go up to ICU but R60 000 cash, up front was demanded. This of course, was impossible (and the reason we had Travel Insurance). A sympathetic doctor suggested that we pay R20 000 to get her into a bed. We enquired as to whether they would take R10 000, as a deposit but they refused.
When we explained the difficulty with getting cash, after hours, we got more callous indifference.
By midnite we had run out of cash and instead of going into ICU (Doctor’s recommendation) she was bundled off to KEH. As mentioned this was our worst nightmare coming true. We left her there and got home at 0300 4th April.
I have challenged Netcare over this and up to now, there replies have been unsatisfactory. They actually deny hoofing her out.
SA CONSTITUTION
27 Health care, food, water and social security (1) Everyone has the right to have access to— (a) healthcare services, including reproductive healthcare; (b) sufficient food and water; and (c) social security, including, if they are unable to support themselves and their dependents, appropriate social assistance. (2) The state must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to achieve the progressive realisation of each of these rights. (3) No one may be refused emergency medical treatment.
AT KING EADWARDS (KEH)
See att PPT
The security guards were armed at the A&E with pump action shotguns
She was lucky, it was not raining as the roof leaked.
Very few lights were working and as a result the area was very dark.
Armed police were also present.
Wife was in a grubby 30 bed ward where there was no washing of patients and the bathroom and toilets were filthy and unusable.
We were going to bath her ourselves from a sink – This was blocked
The entire hospital was in a complete state of grubby disrepair.
Theft was rampant and my wife could not have her cell phone with her because of this
She was supposed to be in ICU.
We had to provide our own pillow as they did not provide
The fire alarm was in a sealed glass case and was a hand held brass bell.
When she went to the orthopaedic section, for the 1st time – we had to take her down 2 floors and along very long corridors ourselves – we had to wait for a very long time. Eventually, she became so weak and dizzy, that we had to return her to the ward.
The next time she had to make her own way to the above – remember, she is supposed to be in ICU.
There was no air conditioning and flies were rampant. Keep in mind it was was sub tropical Durban where the average temperatures can reach well into the 30’s. Not forgetting the humidity.
The Neuro Specialist stated that my wife’s life was severely threatened because the hospital was not equipped to handle any of the emergencies that could have occurred.
Add to this the place was extremely unhygienic and she suffers from chronic kidney infections. She only has one and did in fact pick up an infection.
St Augustine’s took her in 3 days later.