Woman's broken elbow undone for months due to hospital bed shortage
For months, 74-year-old Thema Leta Magashe has endured excruciating pain from a broken elbow, waiting in vain for surgery at a hospital in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Despite her injury occurring in October 2022, she remains without proper treatment due to the chronic shortage of hospital beds.
Magashe's ordeal began when she fell at her home in Elukwatini, breaking her elbow. She was taken to Embhuleni Hospital, where an X-ray confirmed the fracture. However, after being assessed and given a temporary cast, she was sent home with instructions to return in a month.
When Magashe returned to the hospital, her cast was replaced, and she was given a December return date. As her elbow failed to heal, doctors reportedly decided to implant metal pins to fix the bone. However, there were no beds available at Embhuleni Hospital for the procedure.
Magashe was then referred to Rob Ferreira Tertiary Hospital, where she underwent three examinations by different doctors who all confirmed the need for surgery. But again, a lack of beds prevented her from receiving the necessary treatment. She was sent home with pain medication each time.
"I went to Rob Ferreira, and the doctors that I saw confirmed on my three visits that my bone is broken, and I need to do a metal implant," Magashe said. "However, they said they could not do my surgery because they also have a shortage of beds and they sent me home three times."
After eight months of agonizing pain and unfulfilled promises, Magashe remains without proper treatment. She has been given pain tablets as the only means of managing her condition. Her son, Johannes, expressed concern about her deteriorating physical and emotional well-being.
"My mother is a person who enjoys being busy, but she has not been herself since she broke her elbow," Johannes said. "She cries that her arm is painful, and she gets bored. She does not cook or clean anymore."
Magashe's case highlights the alarming shortage of hospital beds in South Africa, particularly in underfunded public hospitals. The prolonged wait for surgery has caused Magashe unnecessary suffering and worsened her condition.
The Mpumalanga Department of Health has yet to respond to inquiries about Magashe's situation and the reasons for the ongoing bed shortage. As the elderly population in South Africa continues to grow, addressing the chronic lack of hospital beds is crucial to ensure timely and adequate healthcare for all.
Magashe's ordeal began when she fell at her home in Elukwatini, breaking her elbow. She was taken to Embhuleni Hospital, where an X-ray confirmed the fracture. However, after being assessed and given a temporary cast, she was sent home with instructions to return in a month.
When Magashe returned to the hospital, her cast was replaced, and she was given a December return date. As her elbow failed to heal, doctors reportedly decided to implant metal pins to fix the bone. However, there were no beds available at Embhuleni Hospital for the procedure.
Magashe was then referred to Rob Ferreira Tertiary Hospital, where she underwent three examinations by different doctors who all confirmed the need for surgery. But again, a lack of beds prevented her from receiving the necessary treatment. She was sent home with pain medication each time.
"I went to Rob Ferreira, and the doctors that I saw confirmed on my three visits that my bone is broken, and I need to do a metal implant," Magashe said. "However, they said they could not do my surgery because they also have a shortage of beds and they sent me home three times."
After eight months of agonizing pain and unfulfilled promises, Magashe remains without proper treatment. She has been given pain tablets as the only means of managing her condition. Her son, Johannes, expressed concern about her deteriorating physical and emotional well-being.
"My mother is a person who enjoys being busy, but she has not been herself since she broke her elbow," Johannes said. "She cries that her arm is painful, and she gets bored. She does not cook or clean anymore."
Magashe's case highlights the alarming shortage of hospital beds in South Africa, particularly in underfunded public hospitals. The prolonged wait for surgery has caused Magashe unnecessary suffering and worsened her condition.
The Mpumalanga Department of Health has yet to respond to inquiries about Magashe's situation and the reasons for the ongoing bed shortage. As the elderly population in South Africa continues to grow, addressing the chronic lack of hospital beds is crucial to ensure timely and adequate healthcare for all.
