Lack of urgency and incompetence by ER Consulting at Lenmed Ahmed Kathrada

I am writing to formally raise a concern regarding the treatment my 3-year-old daughter received at your casualty department.

She was brought in at approximately 11:00am presenting with diarrhoea, vomiting, lethargy, and a high fever. Despite her condition, she was made to wait close to two hours before being seen, with no immediate intervention to manage her fever or assess her overall state. Even by 14:39, she had still not been properly examined, which prompted me to contact the Client Liaison Officer to escalate the matter. It was only after this intervention that she received attention.

What is most concerning is that she was discharged with only a prescription, without any blood tests or further investigations to determine the cause of her symptoms. No intravenous fluids were administered, despite her being lethargic and unable to retain anything due to ongoing vomiting.

At 03:00am the following morning, I had to return to casualty as her condition had worsened. She now had a persistent high fever, ongoing vomiting, and a severe cough. I provided the full history to both the nurse and the doctor present, including the fact that she was unable to keep medication down. Despite this, I was still asked whether the prescribed medication had been given, which showed a concerning lack of attention to the clinical picture I had just explained.

During this second visit, a drip was finally administered, blood tests were taken, and medication for her fever was given. Her CRP levels returned at 118, and it was found that her iron levels were low. She was subsequently admitted and later diagnosed with salmonella and bronchopneumonia.

While I would like to acknowledge that the paediatrician managed her care appropriately once admitted, I am deeply concerned that her condition was overlooked during the initial visit to casualty. This delay in proper diagnosis and treatment could have had serious consequences for her health.

I strongly feel that casualty doctors may not be adequately equipped to manage paediatric cases of this nature and that there should be better use of the paediatrician on call in such situations.

Additionally, I am now faced with a double casualty bill, which has been short paid by my medical aid, despite the clear shortcomings in care during the first visit. I request that this billing be reviewed in light of the circumstances and the evident mismanagement of her case.

I trust that this matter will be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly to prevent a similar experience for other patients.