News / Africa
SA hospital refuses to help pregnant Zimbabwean
25 Feb 2015 at 13:40hrs | Views
JOHANNESBURG - A Zimbabwean woman who needed urgent medical attention has told Eyewitness News how staff at the Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg refused to help her saying she's a foreigner and didn't have R10,000 to pay the facility upfront.
A heavily pregnant Betres Masarira says she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and rushed to the hospital on Tuesday for treatment.
But she claims the nurses turned her away.
It took more than five hours for Masarira to get help at the facility.
She says she was in pain and tried to explain to the hospital staff that she can't afford the required fee needed but they turned her away.
"I had pains since yesterday so they told me that I must go get my husband to look for money."
The Health Department says its policy that foreigners are considered private patients in South Africa but it's investigating why the officials turned her away.
She's expected to return to the hospital for a caesarian next Wednesday.
A heavily pregnant Betres Masarira says she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and rushed to the hospital on Tuesday for treatment.
But she claims the nurses turned her away.
It took more than five hours for Masarira to get help at the facility.
She says she was in pain and tried to explain to the hospital staff that she can't afford the required fee needed but they turned her away.
"I had pains since yesterday so they told me that I must go get my husband to look for money."
The Health Department says its policy that foreigners are considered private patients in South Africa but it's investigating why the officials turned her away.
She's expected to return to the hospital for a caesarian next Wednesday.
Source - Eyewitness News
