Pathetic service and *********** doctor at Pretoria East Hospital Emergency Unit

This serves as a serious complaint regarding the conduct and standard of care in the Emergency Unit.

My husband was assessed by another doctor on Friday for a spider bite and placed on antibiotics, with clear instructions to return should there be no improvement. By Sunday, despite the bite having been opened and drained, the condition had deteriorated, with visible discolouration, and my husband began feeling cold in 32°C heat. He was also experiencing pain when walking on the affected leg.

Upon presenting to the Emergency Unit, Dr Siluma laughed off the symptoms, failed to properly assess the deterioration, and made a snarky, dismissive remark asking whether my husband wanted to “stay at home for a spider bite.” No consideration was given to the nature of my husband’s work or the functional impact of his condition.

When I raised my concerns to Dr Siluma and asked him to explain to me why he feel it looks fine while another medical professional raised his concerns on Friday, he walked past me and said he’s ending this conversation.

This behaviour was unprofessional, dismissive, and clinically irresponsible. We will be escalating this matter formally, as the treatment received falls well below the standard expected of an emergency department.

This experience raises serious concerns about patient safety and the declining standard of care at this facility as it is not our first bad experience!