HomeNewsLocalGrieving mother recounts misdiagnosis horror on daughter 

Grieving mother recounts misdiagnosis horror on daughter 

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…As government commits to patient safety 

Mathatisi Sebusi 

It has been a year since ‘Mampho Motseki from Makhaleng in Maseru, buried her 24-year-old daughter, Limpho, who died from cancer. 

Limpho died from advanced rectal cancer which had erroneously been diagnosed as piles. 

When the correct diagnosis was finally made, it was already too late to save the young woman’s life. 

As a result, ‘Mampho says she still has not healed from the loss and blames the public health sector for failing her daughter. 

‘Mampho recently told the Sunday Expressthat when her daughter fell ill in 2021, she was misdiagnosed at one of the government hospitals in Maseru district. 

The hospital’s name is known to this publication. However, we will not disclose it as per ‘Mampho’s request because she first wants to sue the facility for negligence. 

According to ‘Mampho, her daughter had been informed by doctors that she suffered from piles and was immediately placed on treatment in June 2021. 

Piles, medically termed haemorrhoids, are swellings containing enlarged blood vessels that are found inside or around the bottom (the rectum and anus). 

In many cases, haemorrhoids do not cause symptoms, and some people don’t even realise they have them. 

Following the haemorrhoids diagnosis, ‘Mampho said instead of her daughter getting better, her condition only worsened. 

By that time, Limpho had been placed on a different treatment which was also said to be treating the piles. 

But in early 2023, ‘Mampho said, her daughter had become bedridden and was admitted at the same hospital, where she was further tested and eventually diagnosed with rectal cancer. 

She was further informed that the cancer was advanced hence no treatment could save her. She was discharged, and sent home to die. 

What makes ‘Malimpho angry to this day, is the fact that her daughter had sought treatment early enough. Had the right diagnosis been made, she insists, Limpho would still be alive. 

“My daughter sought medical attention very early, and I believe had a correct diagnosis been made, she could have been cured. It is hard for me to accept that I lost a daughter to a sickness which could have been cured, had doctors made accurate diagnosis,” ‘Malimpho said. 

Limpho’s case and many others were the highlight of the World Patient Safety Day commemoration on 17th September, at Avani Lesotho in Maseru. 

It was during that event, that the Ministry of Health committed to enhancing patient safety across all levels of care, to avoid misdiagnosis of patients. 

Addressing the event, Ministry of Health Principal Secretary, ‘Maneo Ntene, said they would achieve patient safety not only by ensuring availability of resources but also by restructuring the ministry’s departments and the sector in general “to ensure that positions have proper job descriptions, and that people occupy positions for which they are academically qualified”. 

World Patient Safety Day?is celebrated every year on the 17th?of September, to raise awareness on the importance of people-centred care and preventing patient harm. 

Successive annual celebrations since 2019 have highlighted specific themes that represented a priority area in patient safety and the 2024 theme was ‘Improving diagnosis for patient safety’. 

Ms Ntene undertook to ensure that patients were safe and that no one died needlessly due to misdiagnosis. 

She said there was compelling evidence of the huge burden of avoidable patient harm globally, across developed and developing care systems, which had major human, moral, ethical and financial implications. And, Lesotho was no exception, Ms Ntene said. 

“While our goal is always to heal, there are inherent risks that can result in harm, whether through medication errors, surgical complications, infections, or other preventable incidents. Each of these risks presents a potential threat to the health and lives of our patients,” she said. 

She further noted that globally, it was estimated that over 134 million misdiagnoses events occurred annually in hospitals, especially in low and middle income countries, contributing to approximately 2.6 million deaths annually. 

“These are not just statistics, they are mothers, fathers, children and loved ones. In Lesotho, like in many other countries, we drive towards universal health coverage. And improved healthcare services can only succeed when we prioritize safety in every step of the patient’s journey. 

“Patient safety is not only about avoiding harm but also building trust. Our people must feel confident that when they enter a healthcare facility, they will leave in better condition than when they arrived. They must know that they are in the hands of well trained, well supported professionals who are equipped to provide best possible care,” Ms Ntene said. 

She said her ministry also recognised that improving safety in health care required a systematic approach, one that included better training for healthcare providers, enhanced communication among care teams, the use of technology to minimize errors, and the involvement of patients in their care journey. 

Ms Ntene said to ensure accurate diagnosis, the Ministry of Health would promote a culture wherein healthcare providers could report misdiagnosis incidents without fear of punishment. That would allow them to learn from mistakes and prevent them from recurring. 

She added?they would also ensure continuous professional development for healthcare workers with focus on patient safety. They would also ensure that healthcare professionals were well equipped with the latest knowledge and skills to deliver safe, high-quality care. 

“We are reinforcing the use of clinical guidelines that promote best practices, ensuring that the care delivered is evidence-based and adheres to internationally recognised safety standards,” she said. 

Meanwhile, addressing a similar event, World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, Dr Mary Stephen, also emphasised the importance of patient safety. 

She noted that the safety of patients was a top WHO priority and was inherent in all efforts to achieve universal health coverage and sustainable development goals. 

She said the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021-2030, highlighted the need to ensure the safety of diagnosis processes. The document also encouraged countries to adopt strategies that reduced diagnostic errors, which often arose from a combination of cognitive and system factors, that impacted the recognition of patients’ key signs and symptoms, and the interpretation and communication of their test results. 

“The magnitude of diagnosis errors is profound, accounting for nearly 16 percent of preventable harm across health systems. It is estimated that about 1 in 10 diagnoses is probably wrong and most adults are likely to face at least one diagnostic error in their lifetime. Therefore, substantial work needs to be done to improve the safety of diagnostic processes,” Dr Stephen said. 

“WHO calls for concerted efforts to significantly reduce diagnostic errors through multifaceted interventions, rooted in systems thinking, human factors and active engagement of patients, their families, health workers and health care leaders. 

“On the side of improving diagnostic services, the World Health Organisation passed a landmark resolution on ‘Strengthening Diagnostic Capacity’ in May 2023 emphasizing the critical role of diagnostics across all tiers of healthcare and urged governments to bridge existing gaps at country level.” 

Dr Stephen added that WHO urged all its member states and stakeholders, to raise global awareness of errors in diagnosis contributing to patient harm, and emphasize the pivotal role of correct, timely and safe diagnosis in improving patient safety. 

Member states were also urged to give prominence to diagnostic safety in patient safety policies and clinical practices at all levels of health care, in alignment with the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021- 2030 and empower patients and families to “actively engage with health workers and health care leaders to improve diagnosis processes among others”. 

 

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