Cape family traumatised after daughter loses baby due to alleged hospital negligence
Cape Town - A family from Atlantis, a town just off the West Coast in Cape Town, are traumatised and have vowed to get justice after their baby grandson died, allegedly due to hospital negligence.
Six-month pregnant Ceejay Calvert, 24, from Beacon Hill, was ecstatic to be expecting her second son and had already started preparing for his arrival; however, she is now heartbroken.
On Sunday, April 11, Calvert went to Wesfleur Hospital and was accompanied by her sister, Codline Cloete, after she started feeling labour pains.
Speaking to the African News Agency (ANA), Cloete explained what allegedly unfolded during their visit.
“We went to the maternity ward, as she was pregnant. A doctor then came and literally pushed her and said she needed to go to the casualty ward.
“She was given an injection and pain pills and sent home,” Cloete said.
However, the following day would turn the family’s life upside down.
Calvert’s mother, Nazeema Cloete, 43, explained how her daughter was allegedly treated by staff at the hospital.
“I know Ceejay was given an injection, given two pills to drink in front of the doctor and the other two to drink at home. He said it was an antibiotic.
“When she woke up on Monday morning, she was bleeding and we rushed her to hospital,” Nazeema explained.
The mother said that upon arrival at the hospital they were again directed to casualty. While sitting and waiting for assistance, a paramedic known to the family explained that her daughter’s water had just broken.
“She gave birth too early. One nurse asked her superior if she should give the baby, who we named Joshua, oxygen. The nurse pulled rank, denied this request and said: ‘ek is jou baas (I am your boss),” Nazeem claimed.
“Joshua died. My daughter was left alone with him on the tray. Another nurse then rudely told her to ‘los die kind en staan net op hier (leave the child and just get up from here). She had to stand outside with drips and everything attached’,” Nazeema told ANA.
The devastated grandmother claimed her daughter was not even given treatment or therapy but rather a sick certificate.
She said doctors could not explain the cause of baby Joshua’s death, but her daughter had disclosed that the medication she received was allegedly abortion tablets.
“We also had to fight for Joshua’s body as the doctor told us his body belongs to the government.
“Whenever I requested my daughter’s medical files, it was always missing,” Nazeema claimed.
“I am very angry. How many young girls aren’t going through this, too? This is a case of murder and negligence. I feel they murdered my grandchild. We will get justice for Joshua,” Nazeema added.
Communications officer for the provincial Department of Health, Shimoney Regter, confirmed that Calvert had visited the hospital, but stated she did not require hospitalisation upon her first visit.
“The patient was 25 weeks pregnant when she presented to Wesfleur Hospital on April 11, 2021. She was assessed and received appropriate care and medication for her condition.
“She did not require hospitalisation. She was reassessed on April 12, 2021, at Wesfleur Hospital and a diagnosis of an inevitable miscarriage was made,” she said.
Regter stated staff did all they could to assist Calvert and Joshua.
“Tragically, the baby was born very prematurely and passed away. We understand that this is an extremely traumatic experience and arrangements were made for counselling. The patient agreed to cremation. We will make contact with the patient and her family to arrange for additional counselling,” she added.
African News Agency (ANA)