A man, identified only as Kotie, died while waiting for treatment in the emergency room of Settlers Public Private Hospital, according to an anonymous letter delivered to Grocott’s Mail last week.
A man, identified only as Kotie, died while waiting for treatment in the emergency room of Settlers Public Private Hospital, according to an anonymous letter delivered to Grocott’s Mail last week.
Written by a grieving family member, the letter did not specify the exact date of the incident which is believed to have been two weeks ago.
Darlene de Vos, general manager of the hospital, said that due to patient confidentiality she was not able to provide information on the identity, healthcare status or cause of death of the patient.
“We regard every single death of a patient within the hospital as one too many and therefore carefully investigate them,” she said.
According to the letter, the man entered the hospital at 9.20am feeling ill and was told by one of the nurses to sit and wait. Around noon, he began to suffer from shortness of breath.
Family members argued with nurses to at least provide him with oxygen while he waited to be treated. It was also requested that the man be given glucose as his blood sugar levels were apparently low and he was in danger of having a seizure.
The letter states that the man did have a seizure, fell off his chair and died of a heart attack. It was further claimed that he was not attended to and his vital signs were never taken.
“I am sorry for the loss that the family and loved ones of the deceased had to experience and warmly invite them to engage directly with me in order to discuss their concerns,” said De Vos.
