The Voice (Botswana)
April 12, 2013
Circumcision Horror - Who Cares?
BOY (11) SUFFERS AFTER PROCEDURE GOES WRONG BUT AUTHORITIES FAIL TO HELP CLAIMS MUM
Like many mothers Lungisani Thini decided to have her 11-year-old son
circumcised because she wanted him to have a healthier future.
Now she fears he may not have much of a future at all.
The distraught mum, 47, described how the boy’s penis was sliced open
during the procedure that went terribly wrong at Tutume Primary
hospital. She has now threatened to sue the government P5 million for
negligence.
The botched procedure occurred in December last year, but Lungisani
claims the hospital neither gave her an apology nor reacted urgently to
repair the damage.
“I know mistakes do occur, but the way the hospital is handling my son’s case makes me feel they don’t care.
All I need now is compensation so that I can find medication and doctors to correct the blunder before it’s too late,” she said.
The mother of six revealed that the problem became evident shortly
after the procedure when the boy experienced pain and difficulty when
trying to urinate.
Although he was then referred to Nyangabgwe hospital, it soon became
apparent that measures taken to repair the damage had been unsuccessful.
“When after a week they removed the pipe they had inserted in his penis they assured us that all would be well.
But before long the boy started complaining again.”
Lungisani went on to say that after returning to Nyangabgwe doctors
said there was nothing they could do as her son urgently needed to see a
specialist.
She told how he was then transferred to Maun, but claims all they are
doing there is draining the urine twice every month from the pipe in
his penis.
“As I speak, the boy’s education is being seriously affected because of the repeated journeys to hospital,” she added.
What upsets her most is the fact that apart from providing transport
to Maun, the hospital does not assist the family financially for the
numerous trips.
She also complained that the hospital has never counselled either her or her son.
“As a single mum it is very difficult for me to cope and since the
people who are responsible don’t seem to care, I have decided to take
legal action. Although I am poor, I will fight until I get justice,”
Lungisani promised.
Taking up the case area councillor Moseki Mathodi said that he tried
to follow up the matter, but was told it was none of his business.
“I went to the clinic where the operation was carried out, but the
nurse in charge refused to talk to me regarding the case claiming
confidentiality.
They even failed to liaise with the school regarding the boy’s
problem until I personally went to alert the headmaster,” he said.
Tutume District Health Management Team (DHMT) Coordinator Dr Ntumba
Kamayi, although acknowledging there was a problem, dismissed
allegations that the hospital was not treating the matter with urgency.
“What happened is very sad, but mistakes do happen,” he said.
[Medical mistakes are not supposed to happen; accidents should be dealt with.]
Kamayi went on to assure the public that such cases were rare, saying
that at least 40 people a day were being circumcised at the Thini
clinic.
[Yes, and how many are botched?]
“Why the boy’s case went wrong is still a shock to me,” the doctor said.
