Over 8000 people die as a result of medical error according to a daily Publication magazine, Echos Sante. This medical journal is calling for a rethink of health care systems and trainings, to reduce the number of mistakes made by doctors on patients.
Medical error is a preventable adverse effect of care, whether or not it is evident or harmful to the patient.
In Cameroon, several person’s say government hospitals are very negligent and majority of individuals often die from medical errors in these hospitals.
Cynthia Harvey is one of such victims. After years of enduring inexplicable pain, she discovered to her horror that she had a broken needle lodged in her hip. Seemingly, the needle was uncontrolled in her after her surgery at a government hospital. She is one of the victims of an alleged medical error.
For Cynthia, it all started in 2021 she had mysterious pain that would not go away.
“The pain was too much, I had numerous x-rays on my abdomen and pelvis, everyone kept telling me that I will be fine, and everything is normal. The pain however persisted so I visited another clinic, the doctors said right over the hip bone, there was about a two-inch-long bright white needle, laying right over the top of the hip bone.”
The doctors were however amazed and even confirmed that the broken needle they found was visible through x-rays and was lodged in her hip. The doctor later on revealed to her that the needle was forgotten there during a surgery she had. She was then booked for another surgery.
“I was surprised, I visited three hospitals but they kept telling me I will be ok. I even went to the hospital where I did the surgery but the doctors confirmed I’m ok.
Another patient vera, explains how a medical mistake almost caused her death.
She says, I was discharged from the hospital too soon. The morning after I left, I had constant stomach pain.
“I couldn’t swallow anything she said, nothing went down. She then decided to visit another clinic for checkup.
“I rushed to another hospital, did x-rays and scans in my stomach but nothing. Two hours later, I felt something exploded in my stomach. I was rushed to the theatre and I was told it was fibroid.
Vera lost Soo much blood and needed urgent donors so her life can be saved. A doctor then rushed and used blood from a donor who has a different blood group.
“I felt dead, I went unconscious My feet were cold. My brother then alerted the doctors who realized I was administered blood from a donor who has a different blood group from mine, it was immediately removed and that is how I escaped death. This is negligence.”
What Recourse Does a Patient Have.
According to Cynthia, medical error cases are almost impossible to win. Patients who have had their lives destroyed have very little recourse. There isn’t anybody willing to address the problem. Once you report the case to the Ministry, nothing is done as they say it is a mistake which can happen to anyone.
She says because medical error cases are almost impossible to win, patients who have had their lives destroyed have little recourse.
Often, lawyers don’t want to take the cases on the first place. If they do, they will have to face the government.
“I have looked into legal options but I’m discouraged, I did contact several legal firms to get an opinion due to the high level of negligence. I wanted someone to be accountable for it, but I was discouraged by the Fees and charges Involved. let’s all be vigilant especially in hospitals and always work closely with doctors.
In Cameroon, the government is however working hard to avert the situation by regularly prosecuting doctors guilty of medical errors.