The Gauteng health MEC has been ordered to pay damages to a Laudium mother, whose daughter became blind in both eyes after being born prematurely at a provincial hospital nine years ago.

In terms of an agreement, made an order of court in the North Gauteng High Court, the MEC agreed to pay damages to Saadia Jacobs arising from her daughter Laylaa's blindness as a result of an eye disease she developed while being treated at the Coronation Hospital in 2001.The MEC, however, did not admit any negligence, liability or breach of contract on the part of the hospital, its nursing staff or medical practitioners. The amount of damages still has to be determined.

Jacobs, a clerk of Laudium in Pretoria, is claiming R11.5 million damages on behalf of her daughter for the child's medical costs, loss of income, permanent disability and the pain, suffering and loss of amenities of life she will suffer for the rest of her life.

Little Laylaa was placed in an incubator and received oxygen after she was born prematurely at 28 weeks, weighing only 1 180 grams, in October 2001. She remained in hospital for two months and was in February the next year diagnosed with severe retinopathy of prematurity, rendering her permanently blind in both eyes. Her mother claimed in court papers staff at the hospital had been negligent by failing to monitor her daughter and to provide appropriate treatment to prevent her from developing the disease.

She claimed they had not properly monitored the concentration of oxygen being administered to her daughter, gave her excessive concentrations of oxygen and did not pay any regard to the dangers of high oxygen levels in premature and low birth weight babies. She claimed proper guidelines and equipment for the adequate treatment of premature babies was not provided at the hospital and her daughter was not screened for the onset of the disease, which could have been diagnosed and treated. Jacobs was not advised she had to take Laylaa for ophthalmic screening at four weeks and was not warned the child was at risk for developing the eye disease.

Source: The Citizen 15/3/2011