The parents of a six week-old-baby from Kliptown, Soweto, SA, are furious claiming a matron performed a religious ritual on their daughter without their consent.
Desmond Maseli, the 32-year-old father of the baby told the SunTeam that in their church they don't do rituals.
"That woman had no right to do that," he said. The matron allegedly licked a small piece of paper and put it on the baby's forehead before praying. Desmond claimed the matron said this ritual was meant to cure hiccups.
Mum Candice Stein (32) said: "I was not impressed with the hospital's service anyway. And then they top it off by performing a ritual on my daughter."
Candice said when she made the appointment at DR SK Matseke Memorial Hospital she asked to be given an epidural.
An epidural is an injection into the spinal cord that numbs the lower half of the body to stop pain. "I paid R3 000 in advance and the rest of the R22 000 was meant to be covered by my medical aid," Candice said.
She was admitted on 23 March and gave birth the following day.
"I was in pain all the time because I wasn't given an epidural but only two painkillers," she said.
Andrew Wilson, the hospital spokesman, said they were aware of the allegations.
He said they needed to respect and protect the confidentiality of the relationship with the patients.
"We deny any wrongdoing or unprofessional or untoward conduct," he said.
Source - Dailysun
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