A heartbroken mother from Grassy Park, on the Cape Flats, is demanding answers for her 14-year-old daughter’s death, just weeks after giving birth, allegedly caused by an infection that spread through her body following delivery.
Yvonne Mbina told the Cape Argus that her daughter, Sibahle Mbina, had given birth on 11 January at the Midwife Obstetrics Unit (MOU) of the Retreat Day Hospital and was discharged with her baby the same day.
“After she was discharged, she was always complaining about her hip, and a few days later, she went back to the hospital for a check-up. On the Sunday, she was still complaining, saying she was in a lot of pain, so she went back to Retreat.
“They transferred her to Groote Schuur, saying she was ‘under trauma’, and on 2 February, they said she was brain-dead. I didn’t understand.”
It is alleged that her daughter had an infection in her hips, which spread to her brain and kidneys, causing failure of both organs. Mbina said doctors had “done an operation on her hip to drain the infection, but both of her kidneys failed”.
“They said that the infection spread all over her body, apparently due to the birth, because the Retreat people spread her legs so wide during birth.”
The young mother died on 5 February. “Whoever helped her give birth needs to give answers,” said Mbina.
The Western Cape Department of Health & Wellness, which oversees both Retreat Day Hospital and Groote Schuur Hospital, said that due to patient confidentiality, no information about diagnosis or treatment could be provided.
Spokesperson Esethu Madlwabinga said: “Groote Schuur Hospital can confirm that the patient received medical care in the ICU, but in accordance with standard protocol, all cases in which the cause of death is not immediately known are referred for a forensic post-mortem examination. This case was therefore referred for a post-mortem.
“As part of best practice, all maternal-related deaths are reviewed by a multidisciplinary team, after which the relevant documentation is submitted to the National Committee for Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths.”
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