KwaZulu-Natal Parents Blame Doctor for Leaving Glove on Newborn’s Hand
- A mother from KwaZulu-Natal has demanded that a clinic in Hammarsdale be held accountable after her newborn sustained injuries
- A glove was allegedly left on her hand overnight, and this caused the child's hand to swell, requiring medical assistance
- South Africans were livid and called on the parents to take legal action against the healthcare facility for what happened to their child
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Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of Current Affairs, contributed coverage of international and local social issues, including health, corruption, education, unemployment, labour, service delivery protests, and immigration in South Africa, during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.
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HAMMARSDALE, KWAZULU-NATAL — The parents of a toddler who was injured at a clinic in Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal, in February 2025 want action to be taken against the doctor who allegedly injured their child.
According to Newzroom Afrika, the injuries caused developmental issues nine months after the incident. The mother, Amahle, said that on 23 February 2025, she was taken to the Hlengisizwe Community Health Centre after going into labour. She gave birth the following day. The doctor arrived to draw blood from the newborn and allegedly fastened the newborn's hand with a glove. The doctor was unsuccessful and left the ward with the promise to return later. However, he had left the glove on the newborn's hand.
Baby's injuries cause more problems
Amahle said that nurses gave her the baby to feed, and she did so. She was later awoken from sleep by the baby's cries. After comforting the baby, she fell asleep. Amahle woke up again to the baby's cries the following day, and she noticed that the baby's hand was black and swollen. Nurses took the baby and informed her that her baby's hand was bound by a glove. The glove was removed.
Amahle and the baby were transferred to RK Khan Hospital in Chatsworth. The doctors reportedly could not assist the baby. On 26 February, they were transferred to the Victoria Mxenge Hospital. The baby's father, Samkelo, said that he had to borrow money from loan sharks to cover transportation. He also lost his job as a result of staying away from work. He said he cannot crawl or balance with his injured hand. It is not active and is struggling with development.
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Patients who died at healthcare facilities
South African healthcare facilities have come under fire for alleged negligence. A patient died while queueing outside the KwaMashu Clinic on 22 April 2024. The patient was among other community members who were waiting to receive assistance since 5 am. The patient allegedly started experiencing pain while in line, but security guards chased him out. He died outside the clinic.
A woman from Sutherland in the Northern Cape died from complications caused by asthma on 2 December 2025 after not receiving help from the Sutherland clinic. The clinic, which operates for 24 hours, was empty as nurses refused to work. They accused the Department of Health of not paying them for their overtime.
PregnantWestbury woman dies at clinic
In a related article, Briefly News reported that the community of Westbury was livid after a 32-year-old woman died at the Westbury Clinic on 29 December 2024. She was admitted to the hospital to give birth.
Her boyfriend and her brother were with her when she arrived at the clinic. She asked them to get them food, and the hospital told them that she and the baby had passed away.
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Source: Briefly News
