Following a wrong surgery to fix a dialysis problem, a 34-year-old Mahalapye man is preparing to launch a P6 million lawsuit against Sidilega Private Hospital.
Keamogetse Montsi’s troubles started after he went to the hospital for kidney dialysis, but ended up leaving a handicapped man after a botched operation which, he says, was done without his consent.
Narrating his ordeal from his house in Mmopane where he is lying in pain, Montsi said his predicament began in March this year when he was booked in to undergo a graft operation to fix his dialysis problems.
While he had preferred a graft operation, of which he had also signed for, Montsi said to his shock when he woke up after the operation, he found that an altogether different surgery, known as fistula, was performed on his body.
The surgery proved unsuccessful as Montsi says it permanently damaged veins on his elbow, which have been stitched together.
However, he says he has now lost the use of his hand as the veins are prone to breaking once he lifts anything weighing over 2kg.
“After realising that many patients referred to Sedilega for fistula surgery were unsuccessful, I asked the Ministry of Health to pay for me a graft operation. It seemed the doctor who conducts fistula at this hospital is not good enough,” said Montsi.
He said he had agreed and signed for graft operation, but to his shock when he woke from the theatre, he found that the doctor had carried out a wrong operation.
According to Montsi, Sidilega has since accepted the responsibility of the botched operation; however, he says the hospital declines to put that into writing as he is being sent from pillar to post.
“I have suffered permanent damages to my arm and can’t do anything. The moment I pick something a bit heavy, the veins burst,” said Montsi, adding he will soon launch a P6 million lawsuit against the hospital to compensate for the damage suffered.
A farmer, Montsi says he now has to rely on friends and family for assistance as he is only left with one arm, and is seeking financial compensation from the private hospital.
“This has affected me badly. Since the operation, the veins have ruptured three times,” he said.
When reached for comment, the hospital, through its mouthpiece, said it received Montsi’s complaint this year and subsequently launched an investigation.
“We received Mr Montsi’s complaint in May 2021, to which we responded clearly and the findings of that complaint after investigation absolved Sidilega from any allegations levelled against it,” said Mmabatho Machobane, the hospital’s Public Relations Manager.
Machobane said following the investigations, the hospital went above and beyond to offer Montsi counselling.
“However, due to our doctor-patient confidentiality policy, we cannot divulge any clinical findings and we are obliged to protect our clients.”
