The MEC for Health and Social Development Qedani Mahlangu has appointed a high profile committee to investigate circumstances that led to the amputation of the legs of a baby who had suffered burns to her hands.
The six member team will be headed by Professor Joe Variava, a medical expert, and has been instructed to report back to the MEC in seven days.
"We have to get to the bottom of this incident and understand what happened from the time the child was admitted to when the decision was taken to amputate her legs."
The decision to appoint the team was taken after a meeting between the MEC and the management, doctors and nurses from the Far East Rand Hospital and Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital last night. MEC Mahlangu called the meeting to get an explanation after she visited the child's family last week.
The investigating team has been mandated to independently verify the information provided by the hospitals and establish if there was negligence on the part of any health professional.
Enquiries:
Mandla Sidu
Cell: 082 773 9013
Simon Zwane
Cell: 082 551 9892
Issued by: Department of Health and Social Development, Gauteng Provincial Government
30 November 2009
