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Mashudu Netsianda Senior Court Reporter
A PREMIER Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS)-run hospital and one of its doctors have been sued for $120,000 for administering wrong treatment on a five-year-old girl causing chronic foot and leg ulcers resulting in permanent disability.

The Gweru hospital, Claybank Private Hospital, Premier Service Medical Investments (Pvt) Ltd as well as the doctor who administered the treatment identified only as Dr Kaseke, were cited as the defendants in a matter filed yesterday at the Bulawayo High Court by the girl’s mother, Petronella Mabika, through her lawyers Gundu and Dube Legal Practitioners.

Mabika is the first plaintiff while her daughter, Susan Matsvaire, is the second plaintiff.

The woman said when her daughter was admitted to the hospital, she only had a femur fracture.

However, after the wrong medication was administered on the child who was aged three at the time in 2014, she developed foot and leg ulcers, a condition which has since rendered her permanently disabled. “My daughter was diagnosed of a simple fracture of the left femur which was confirmed by an X-ray examination and analgesia was offered to her before the hospital decided to engage Dr Kaseke who recommended gallows tractions together with regular administering of analgesic medication,” said Mabika.

She said the drugs were administered despite the fact that Susan did not fall in the category of patients suitable for that treatment method in terms of body weight and age. “Right from the moment gallows traction was applied, my daughter was complaining of severe incessant pain due to bandaged feet and legs. Upon the removal of the gallows traction on September 21, 2014, my daughter’s distal leg and feet were swollen and blistered,” said Mabika.

She said Susan has since developed chronic foot and leg ulcers. She was referred to a consultant surgeon who recommended plastic surgery for the girl in the event that her condition worsens.

The surgeon said due to her age, the girl requires regular medical follow ups for the next 15 to 20 years to effectively monitor the evolution of her contractures and scaring of the soft tissues. Mabika said her daughter’s condition has affected her normal sporting activities both at home and school.

“The disability is a result of the negligence of Dr Kaseke in applying gallows traction as it was a wrong choice of treatment for my daughter’s fracture of the left femur,” she said.

Mabika said her daughter, who is now aged five, faces serious challenges whenever putting on her shoes as they cause discomfort and pain arising from her condition. She wants the defendants to pay her and her daughter $95,000 for causing them pain, suffering, emotional distress, trauma and permanent physically disability in the case of Susan.

Mabika said she wants the defendants to pay $20,000 for current and future medical expenses for Susan and another $5,000 for the girl’s transportation to and from school with interest calculated at a prescribed bank rate from the day of issue of summons to the date of full and final payment.

Mabika also wants the defendants to pay the costs of suit at attorney-client scale.