‘Go home and die’: Helen Joseph Hospital back in the spotlight

· The South African

A Johannesburg woman has claimed that a Helen Joseph Hospital doctor advised her to “go home and die” after she was allegedly mistreated and kept waiting for urgent medical treatment.

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In 2024, radio personality Tom London documented his harrowing account at the government health care.

Earlier this month, the hospital came under fire by the Democratic Alliance over reports that severe staff shortages had a direct impact on the emergency department.

HELEN JOSEPH HOSPITAL: PATIENT MAKES SHOCK CLAIMS

On her Facebook account, Johannesburg woman Marsha Hunt has opened up about her traumatic experience at the Helen Joseph Hospital.

The pilates instructor, who also disclosed that she was a rape survivor, has not revealed her medical issues.

In a video that has gone viral, Hunt stated that doctors were rude and unprofessional, and that they were struggling to handle the overwhelming number of patients seeking urgent care.

She says in the video: “It is shockingly disgusting. It is chaos in there.

“The doctor that I am dealing with, a Nigerian, said to be ‘Go home and die’ or sit here and wait. If it takes a week, so be it”.

Hunt continued: “I am a victim of rape. Subsequent to that, I have other underlying issues. 

Is this what South Africa is? We really should be doing better than this”

She later told eNCA that doctors at Helen Joseph Hospital administered strong pain meds like morphine and fentanyl to her without an official diagnosis.

She claims that she was mistreated and subjected to appalling conditions.

The woman’s claims come two years after radio personality Tom London posted his own account of a traumatic ordeal at Helen Joseph Hospital.

In several videos posted on his Facebook account, London described being subjected to poor treatment, neglect and appalling conditions. His video triggered a formal investigation by the Health Ombud and the Office of Health Standards Compliance, whose report found that the hospital had deteriorating infrastructure, staff shortages, long waits for beds, and poor governance.

OFFICIAL RESPONSE 

In an official response, the Gauteng Department of Health responded to the woman’s claims about hr experience

In a statement, the department claimed that Marsha Hunt had been appropriately triaged and diverted to a timely nursing assessment within an hour.

The hospital stated that Hunt had received clinical assessment, investigations, pain management and treatment, and was discharged following clinical improvement with medication and a follow-up appointment.

It shared: “The Department also acknowledges that the patient experienced a prolonged stay in the emergency department (ED). We also recognise that prolonged waiting times can be frustrating and distressing for patients and their families.

“At the time of the patient’s visit, the ED was overwhelmed, experiencing a significantly high number of patients. The hospital continues to receive and manage patients whose healthcare needs could ordinarily be managed at the district hospital level”

The hospital conceded that it was experiencing understaffing pressure but was in the advanced stages of appointing new personnel.

The statement also vowed to investigate allegations made about a Helen Joseph Hospital doctor’s comments to patients.

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