POOR SERVICE
Goodday
On the 4th of Decemeber at about 2h30am we brought our 5 month old baby to casaulty as he had a 3 day history of dry cough, lethargy and fever (39 to 40 degrees). He also had a morbilliform rash which appeared later in the course of symptoms. My husband and I are both medical doctors in public and in light of the symptoms made a provisional diagnosis of a viral exanthum, particularly measles.
We brought him in as he was not keeping down oral fluids or breastmilk and we were concerned about impending dehydration and worsening of his illness.
Firstly, your nurses were fast asleep and snoring when we arrived. Secondly, when we explained that it could be a potentially CONTAGIOUS DISEASE, they failed to exercise basic infection control ie isolation etc. Until we impressed it upon them (Please train staff in this regard).
Thirdly, the medical officer was *********** in her assessment of the baby. She did not perform a basic examination of an infant with a fever. She did not do a general, ENT or CNS examination. She only auscultated the chest. Now that is UNACCEPTABLE. With that incomplete examination she phoned the pediatrician to discuss the patient!!!! How do you make an assessment or decision on a 5 month old baby with such an incomplete examination?? This is basic medicine. Obviously the pediatrician received the wrong information amd told us to leave and come back prn.
We informed the medical officer of her deficits in examination and she again failed to do a complete examination and again recontacted the pediatrician.
We were told again to leave.
So we went to another hospital thereafter and got the proper help. What should have been done was an admidsion, blood test and observation. They did not ensure that the baby could indeed feed properly before being sent home. This is basic medicine and having ACLS AND PALS is ridiculous if you don't know how to examine patients and keep them alive.
Please get your staff on track. This is ridiculous. You will be hearing from our legal team.
Dr C.Ramiah
Dr D. GOVENDER