A Soshanguve man is due to receive damages from Gauteng Health after a trainee surgeon incorrectly inserted a metal plate into his wrist at Dr George Mukhari Hospital, the Pretoria News reports. The Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) found that the junior doctor who worked at the hospital to gain experience should have been supervised by an experienced surgeon during the operation.
Johannes Manganyi, a driver by profession, is said to have lasting problems with his right hand due to the botched operation. A follow-up operation was done when it came to light that the metal plate and screws were inserted wrongly.
But, the report says the Judge Colleen Collis was told that he would battle in future using his hand, especially in his profession. Manganyi complained that he had received substandard treatment at the hospital. The hospital denied this and said it acted with diligence with the resources available to it.
A professor, one of the experts called by Manganyi, testified that the training of registrars (inexperienced doctors) and specifically student surgeons should be supervised, especially when they have to perform complicated procedures. He said their training must also be evaluated at all times to access their progress.
The report says the amount of damages payable to him will be decided at a later stage.
[link url="https://www.iol.co.za/pretoria-news/mec-to-pay-damages-after-trainee-surgeon-incorrectly-inserted-metal-plate-into-patients-wrist-39058000"]Pretoria News report[/link]