Disheartening Treatment Received

I am writing to express my deep disappointment and frustration with the service my elderly mother received at your hospital today. My mother, a pensioner from Dundee in Northern KZN, traveled 400 km to Durban to seek medical attention for her cataracts, following the information provided to us last week.

We were informed that a referral letter and a confirmation from SASSA were necessary for her to receive treatment. Despite informing your staff of her long journey and her lack of local family accommodations, my mother was turned away by the doctors in Room 6 upon her arrival.

This situation is not only disheartening but raises serious concerns about the adherence to the ethical standards expected of healthcare professionals. It is troubling that she was denied care despite having followed the prescribed procedure and having traveled such a significant distance under challenging circumstances.

Could you please clarify whether it is indeed your policy to limit services to patients within the Durban area? Moreover, I would like to understand what the ethical and professional standards are for your staff, especially regarding the treatment of patients who come from afar in need of urgent care.

I will be forwarding this complaint to the MEC for the Department of Health, as I believe this situation warrants further scrutiny.