A Leribe man whose penis was cut off following a bizarre surgical procedure is demanding M30 million in damages from a government hospital. Mapanya Ramokoatsi, from Sebothoane in Hlotse, Leribe, is demanding M10 000 for medical expenses, M500 000 for anticipated future medical expenses and a further M10 million for loss of amenities to life.
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He is also demanding M10 million for medical expenses, pain and suffering and loss of amenities of life and a further M490 000 for pain and suffering.
He is suing Motebang Hospital, the Ministry of Health and the Attorney General.
In his court papers seen by thepost this week, Ramokoatsi says he visited Motebang Hospital with symptoms of minor flu and common cold on November 23 last year.
He was treated as an outpatient and was given an injection and some medication.
He says the following morning he discovered that he had developed some pimples on his penis.
He then went back to Motebang Hospital where he was told by someone he assumed was either a doctor or nurse that he had “acquired the pimple out of his mischievous behaviour”.
Ramokoatsi was then admitted to the hospital.
He was thereafter told that he was suffering from pneumonia.
He was subsequently injected with some medication that he says he didn’t know what it does.
He immediately dozed off after the injection.
When he regained consciousness, he says he felt pain in his genital area and “to his utter dismay discovered that he no longer had a penis”.
When Ramokoatsi spoke to the doctor who had attended to him, the doctor said he had no knowledge of what had happened to him and that he had “only acted on instructions”.
“As a result of the foregoing, (Ramokoatsi) now lives with no penis which was cut off and/or removed . . . without his knowledge or consent. This act by employees of (Motebang Hospital) amounted to a very serious medical negligence,” P S Ntseso, who is Ramokoatsi’s lawyer, says in court papers.
“The plaintiff has suffered severe physical pain from the said bodily harm which was unlawfully and intentionally inflicted upon him by (Motebang Hospital) through its employees.”
The lawyer said Ramokoatsi had not only suffered physically but financially as well.
He said his client is due for another expensive surgery to repair the damage that was inflicted by the hospital employees.
He said his client had also lost his job at Letšeng Diamond Mine as a result of his serious injuries.
“As a result the plaintiff can no longer sustain himself and his family and his life has since become unbearable. His romantic life has become non-existent as a consequence of the (hospital’s) unlawful actions and this has impacted adversely on his family life.”
He said his client had also suffered emotionally and is “struggling to come to terms with this new reality which may never be repaired”.
He has been put “through unimaginable depression” by the hospital employees, Ntseso said.
“The plaintiff has lost a sense of purpose and has little to live for as a result and consequently holds the defendants liable for payment for a total amount of M30 million claimed in the summons,” they said.
The lawyers said they sent a letter of demand to Motebang Hospital on October 17 last year.
The hospital “has since ignored, denied or refused to compensate the plaintiff and plaintiff has had to approach the court as a matter of last resort”.
Efforts to contact the ministry were not successful before the time of going to print.
Staff Reporter
