Issue 137 - FREE
21 JUly 2017
the good news paper
017 631 1903 / 017 631 1845 • admin@thebulletin.co.za • 1 Kiewiet Street, Secunda (Lake Umuzi)
Nurse cries assault when patient complains A pile of paper towels covered in faeces were left on the floor in a room at Evander Hospital last weekend. When Deon Coetzee wanted to visit his friend, Willie Brink, that is what he found in his room. According to Deon, Willie was crying when Deon arrived at the hospital. He complained that nobody helped him. Willie was involved in an accident with his scooter on Thursday night and his leg was fractured. Deon took photos of the paper towels and hospital staff later asked him to delete the photos form his phone, but he refused. “We smelled something bad when we arrived at the hospital,” said Deon. “There was nobody at the reception area of the ward when we arrived. We eventually found Willie and realised the smell was coming from his room. Deon complained to the nurse on duty who said there was nobody to help her clean up the mess. Deon’s wife, Shirley offered to help. He asked the staff how they could treat human beings in this manner. Deon went to Evander Police because he wanted to open a case against the hospital. The policeman on duty said they know how bad service is at Evander Hospital, but they cannot do anything about it. He suggested Deon talk to the matron. Back at the hospital, the security guard told Deon the matron is not available and wanted to know why he wanted to see her. The police arrived at the hospital and said a case of assault was opened against Deon. “They said I assaulted the nurse, but I did not,” said Deon. “They took statements from the nurse and a patient who also allege that I assaulted her, but they never took a statement from me.
“I do not even know where that patient came from. The first time I saw the man was when the police were taking down his statement.” The police also requested Deon to delete the photos, but he refused.
He was then prevented from leaving and was kept in the hospital against his will for nearly three hours. The police then requested Deon to apologised to the hospital staff. “I refused because I did nothing
Boy phones dad for help In another incident at Evander Hospital, a father was not allowed to spend the night by the bedside of his ill 10-year-old son. JP van Onselen was admitted to Evander Hospital on Tuesday, 11 July, after the attending doctor diagnosed him with pneumonia. During the week while JP was in hospital, his father, Wessel, slept inside his car at Evander Hospital most nights. He also stood at the window at JP’s room to be with his son whenever the hospital staff refused to let him visit his son. “He is only 10 years old and his mother died in an accident in March. He is still dealing with that trauma.” Wessel and JP’s great grandparents visited him in hospital on Wednesday night. Wessel wanted to sit with his son for the night, but hospital staff refused. “I wanted to be there for him because he did not want to let me go,” said Wessel. Wessel received a phone call from JP at about 02:00 the next morning, pleading for help. “When I arrived at the hospital, there was nobody in the children’s ward. I eventually found the staff asleep,” said Wessel. The safety gate at the children’s ward was locked. Nurses later said they locked the gate so that Wessel could not go inside
because his son gossips with his cell phone. When he eventually made it to JP’s room, JP was covered in his own vomit. The child said none of the nurses came to help him. “When I complained to the doctor, he told me he diagnosed JP incorrectly and my son was therefore given the wrong medicine.” Wessel then immediately wanted to take JP out of the hospital and rather take him to a private doctor, but hospital staff demanded he first prove he is JP’s father. He had to go to the police station and had to write an affidavit, stating that he is JP’s father. “The hospital staff then said my son is allergic to nicotine and it is my fault that he is so sick,” said Wessel. The private doctor who examined JP after this ordeal, said the boy had fluid on his lungs. JP was prescribed medicine and is recovering well. Hospital responds Dumisane Malamuleni, provincial spokesman for Evander Hospital, said the public must lodge complaints in writing at the office of the CEO. “Then we will be able to do a proper investigation,” said Dumisane. He also encouraged the public to assist them in lodging complaints. “Make sure to obtain the names and surnames of doctors and nurses who treat you badly,” he said.
wrong,” said Deon. He then gave his phone to the police and said they could delete the photos if they think it was the right thing to do, but the policeman said they could not. They released Deon and said he must report to the police station the next morning at 07:30 and speak to a certain captain. When he arrived at the station the next morning, the captain was not there and Deon left his contact details and address with the police officer on duty. He received a phone call the next day from the police informing him to report to the police again on Monday morning at 06:00. Deon said he could not comply with this demand, because he is working. Sgt Sibusisu Mbuli, spokesman of Evander Police said he knows of a case of assault opened against Deon and according to police officials Deon was uncooperative.
The photo of the paper towels covered in faeces found on the floor of Willie Brink’s room in Evander Hospital. Deon Coetzee was ordered to delete the photo, but he refused.