A Pretoria mother has come forward with allegations of mistreatment at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital, claiming that her newborn baby was left unattended in unsanitary conditions by the nurses in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Nicole Mans, whose baby was born with a rare birth defect, has shared her distressing experience, shedding light on the alleged poor care her son received at the hospital.
Baby Left in Own Faeces, Says Mother
Nicole Mans, the mother of baby Cameron, took to social media to voice her frustrations about the treatment she and her child received at the hospital. According to Nicole, Cameron, who was diagnosed with gastroschisis—a condition where the baby is born with a hole in the abdomen, causing organs to protrude outside the body—was neglected by hospital staff shortly after his premature birth on 26 August.
She claims that during a visit to the NICU last week, she found her son covered in his own faeces. “I asked the nurse if she could help me clean it up and change his bedding, and she said I should do it myself,” Nicole recounted. Despite her initial shock and disappointment, Nicole cleaned her baby, stating, “What hurts me is that I will never know for how long my baby was laying like that.”
Nicole further alleged that the nurse refused to assist in repositioning Cameron’s oxygen pipe, despite his critical need for oxygen, as indicated by the doctors.
#### Mother’s Traumatic Delivery Experience
Nicole’s ordeal began during childbirth when she claims the hospital forced her to give birth naturally, despite knowing about her son’s condition. “I was struggling to push him out due to his organs. At one point, the doctor told me that she was going to leave my baby to suffocate inside of me as I couldn’t push him out fast enough,” she told *The Citizen*.
She described the experience as “inhumane” for both her and her baby, adding that the staff’s lack of empathy and professionalism left her feeling helpless during an already traumatic time.
#### Support Campaign for Baby Cameron
Following this distressing experience, Nicole’s friends and family have launched a fundraising campaign on BackaBuddy, aiming to raise R500,000 to transfer baby Cameron to a private healthcare facility. The campaign has highlighted the urgency of the situation, stating that Cameron’s organs are not fully covered by his skin, posing a high risk of infection, including sepsis.
As of now, the campaign has raised nearly R30,000. The family hopes to secure better medical care for Cameron and avoid the risk of further complications due to the alleged negligence he experienced at the public hospital.
#### Hospital’s Response
Responding to the allegations, Lovey Mogapi, spokesperson for Steve Biko Academic Hospital, stated that the hospital is committed to maintaining high standards of care and correcting any shortcomings immediately. “We learned of this complaint two days ago. We immediately approached the mother that night and have followed up with her daily as part of redress,” she told *The Citizen*.
The Gauteng Department of Health has also addressed concerns over the treatment of patients at public hospitals, urging individuals to report any mistreatment through their 24-hour toll-free customer line or via SMS and email. They emphasize the importance of patient feedback in improving healthcare services.
#### Call for Accountability
Nicole Mans’s story has resonated with many on social media, sparking a wider conversation about the treatment of patients in South Africa’s public healthcare system. As the family continues to advocate for Cameron’s well-being, they hope to hold the hospital accountable and bring about change to prevent similar incidents from happening to others.
For those who wish to contribute to Cameron’s medical expenses, donations can be made through the BackaBuddy platform. The family remains hopeful that they will be able to provide him with the specialized care he urgently needs.