Mutare  – A Watsomba woman suffering from an eye problem through a mere allergy, was given an injection the wrong way by a hospital nurse and now has had to be amputated of the whole leg (up to the bum) in a classic case of medical incompetence not witnessed in Zimbabwe in many years.
The incident occurred on the 20th July at Old Mutare Hospital where Ms Basisai Muchakate, 42, was subsequently forwarded for amputation at the Mutare General (Provincial) Hospital. Her leg was removed last Wednesday by Dr Ralph Kitcap at the institution and she has since been recovering albeit in severe pain at Mutare General Hospital.
The negligence in the case comes from the fact that an injection pierced at the centre of the bum will strike the sciatic nerve, something which student nurses are taught in their first year at university, explained Ms Barbara Nyagomo, a qualified general nurse. Medical card records read that soon after the injection was administered, the leg began to receive poor blood circulation and for the next four weeks, she endured a rotting leg as it cast an ever increasing pungent smell. Ms Muchakate’s husband told ZimEye, “They injected her once at first and she immediately complained that her leg was now numb. Upon calling the sister in charge on that day, the same nurse came back saying the penicillin (haisi kupinda zvakanaka)- is not entering properly,” he said.

To compound to the patient’s troubles, the hospital demanded that she pay for the amputation which was $270,00 she had to pay apart from medicines and pain killers.
When contacted for comment the nurse in charge at Mutare General Hospital who identified herself as Sithabile, denied liability saying that : “the injection could not have caused the condition because a Cyatic nerve problem only causes paralysis and does not create Gangrene,” she said adding that the doctor would be back on Monday and so it will be important to wait for his comments.
But an independent medical expert told ZimEye that, “there is negligence in the administration as well as poor management if the drug ‘reacts’. From talking to someone over there in the health system there was pointing of malpractice and a degree of negligence. One can believe that hypothesis because if the patient arrived walking and was reacting to the drug surely getting your leg amputated does point to the fact of negligence. So yes the account of the husband has truth in it,” they said.
The husband’s account is supported by the patient’s documented medical record card. The case has been referred to the Zimbabwe Women’s Lawyers for Human Rights who have voiced interest to assist the patient. Ms Muchakate has also received donations of a wheelchair, bandages, and meds from the MDC Renewal’s spokesman Pishai Muchakate (pictures following,) among other well wishers.