Department of Health sued for R11.8m

Health MEC has conceded liability for damages arising from the birth of a handicapped baby in Durban in 2007.

Durban - The Health MEC has conceded liability for damages arising from the birth of a severely handicapped baby at Durban’s Prince Mshiyeni Hospital in April 2007. Noluthando Nxele, on behalf of her son, Ayanda, has sued the Department of Health for R11.8 million in damages.

In the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Wednesday, the Health MEC admitted the department was liable to pay Nxele for whatever damages she was able to prove. Her claim is based on the fact that medical staff were negligent by unnecessarily prolonging her labour, failing to monitor the condition of the foetus and the mother during labour, failing to establish that the baby was at risk and failing to expedite the birth.

Daily News

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