The Gauteng Department of Health has cleared the Westbury clinic of any wrongdoing in the death of a mother and child at the facility on Sunday. This comes after 32-year-old Miriam Singh died at the clinic in Johannesburg, as well as her unborn baby, an hour after being admitted to the facility to give birth to her first child.

CLINIC CLEARED

A spokesperson for the provincial department, Motalatale Modiba, confirmed that they instituted an investigation after Singh's passing to establish facts around the case. Modiba said the department has since received the outcome of the internal investigation, which was also subjected to expert review by leading obstetrics and surgery specialists from Charlotte Maxeke Hospital. ?The internal report found that the healthcare workers followed the correct protocols in attendance. The postmortem report revealed that the patient had a serious underlying condition that contributed to the deterioration of their condition within a short space of time after presenting at our health facility. Given the doctor-patient confidentiality, the department is unable to expatiate further on the actual medical condition of the patient,? he said, adding that the police had also handed over the postmortem report to the Singh family yesterday.

NEGLIGENCE ALLEGATIONS MALICIOUS

After Singh's passing, the community got enraged and protested outside the clinic on Tuesday, demanding answers as they believed the health workers were negligent. Modiba said the allegations of negligence were disappointing and malicious. ?The allegations which were prematurely made on public platforms by various interested parties, were not based on any clinical fact but on hearsay. This is not only irresponsible behaviour it is also unethical and unfortunately compounds the pain experienced by the grieving family as they now have to contend with misinformation about the condition of their loved one, which can make it even harder to accept clinical facts,? Modiba said. He said that the department extends its deepest condolences to the Singh family for the sudden loss and will continue to avail counselling services and redress as and when the family is available.