Management at Khayelitsha Hospital has apologised after a man with epilepsy was left lying on the floor in his own urine for hours.

His partner had brought him to the hospital in the morning for treatment of severe fits, GroundUp reported.

Nomvuzo Maponya, Luyanda Dyasi’s aunt, told GroundUp that she was utterly disappointed and disgusted by what she witnessed and experienced in the hospital on November 6.

Dyasi, 52, was taken to the hospital by his partner after he had “continuous fits”.

Maponya said she got to the hospital at about 13:00. She searched the hospital for Dyasi.

‘He was shivering’

“I wandered around and asked about my nephew but I got little help,” she said.

“I eventually came to a waiting area, where I found Luyanda laying stomach down on the cold floor in a puddle of his own urine”.

Maponya said she was completely shocked and rushed to her nephew. She tried to turn him over. She asked him what was happening and why he was on the floor, but he was confused. All he could say was that he was cold.

“He was shivering. I took a red jacket from the clothes I had brought for him and covered him with it,” said Maponya.

She said she managed to find a few nurses walking about and asked them about Dyasi’s situation.

Mop the floor

But, she said, she got rude responses and was told that there were no nurses available to attend to him and there were no beds available. Maponya asked for a blanket or bedsheet for him. After much resistance from them, one of the nurses eventually brought her a blanket. Maponya had to lift a weak, helpless Dyasi on her own, even though she uses a crutch herself because of a bad leg and put the blanket under her nephew.

Dyasi was left on the floor for hours without being attended. Maponya was also scolded by one of the cleaners who complained about Dyasi urinating on himself. The cleaner told Maponya to move him out of the way so he could mop the floor.

Incident being investigated

“I have absolutely no words about the treatment my nephew and I received. I thought nurses were supposed to help people. I am completely disgusted and disappointed,” said Maponya.

Dyasi eventually got help at about 17:00. An ambulance took him to Tygerberg Hospital, where he received help. He was transferred back to Khayelitsha Hospital the following day, from where he was later discharged.

On November 21 Maponya had a meeting with management at Khayelitsha Hospital. She said they apologised profusely and sincerely for the incident and told her that it was being investigated and further steps would be taken after the investigation.

Provincial health department spokesperson Sithembiso Magubane confirmed this.

Hotline call centre

“The family’s complaint is being investigated by the hospital management. The Khayelitsha Hospital management would like to apologise to the Dyasi family for the negative experience. The hospital strives to render a quality service to all its patients. Generally, the hospital receives more compliments than complaints”.

Magubane urged people who were unhappy or not satisfied with treatment or their experience at any health facility in the Western Cape to bring their concern to the facility manager’s attention or contact the hotline call centre on 0860 142 1420, send a “please call me” to 079 769 1207 or email service@westerncape.gov.za.