Online Reporter
Temba Dube in BULAWAYO
IMAGINE the trauma of walking into a hospital with grieving family members to collect the body of a loved relative that you have been told has died, only to find that the relative is alive and well?
Then, as fate would have it, the relative then dies that very same day.
This is true life experience for a Bulawayo family whose story is as shocking as it is disturbing.
The family told H-Metro they suffered a double tragedy as their relative eventually died on the same day.
Family members have told authorities at Mpilo Central Hospital they want to sue the nurses who were on duty on the day for the “unprofessional way” they handled the issue.
Narrating the chain of events, Chantel Dube said her grandmother, Idah Mushongahande, 79, was admitted to the hospital on Monday.
“She was being treated for arthritis and Parkinson’s. Doctors held out little hope,” she said.
“On 2 December at 10:08pm, we were jolted awake by a call from the hospital informing us our beloved granny was no more.
“We informed relatives and they started travelling for the funeral. We called Nyaradzo Funeral Services and made a claim, which they promptly processed.
“Dazed, we made our way to the hospital to collect granny’s body.”
She added:
“Imagine how we felt when we got to the ward and saw granny alive and well, her pulse was strong and she did no look like she was in immediate danger of dying. They (nurses) simply told us a mistake had been made but they would not tell us who had made the mistake or explain further.”
The family then approached some senior matrons for assistance.
“The matrons were professional and helpful. We went back to the ward where we were told we were supposed to pay for an INR (International Normalised Ratio) scan at Lancet House.
“We were about to go to Lancet House and we passed by the ward and we were suddenly told granny had died ‘again’.
“We had already told travelling family members that she was not dead, after all. The circumstances do not make sense to us at all.”
Chantel said her family wanted to sue the nurses for the trauma and lack of professionalism.
“The nurses were protecting each other. They did not want to tell us anything. The senior matron was the only helpful one. “She even used her own car to assist us in making arrangements for removal of the body.”Mpilo Central Hospital spokesperson, Matron Norma Dube, was not reachable for comment.
Hospital CEO, Dr Narcissus Dzvanga, said he was travelling to Harare and could not comment as he was yet to be briefed on the issue.
He referred questions to Clinical director, Professor Solwayo Ngwenya.
“We offer profound condolences to the family. Internal procedures have been instituted. I cannot comment fully before we get the full report.
“We grieve with the family and we are sorry for the trauma they went through.
“They must feel free to approach the hospital for any assistance,” said Prof Ngwenya.
