UNCLEAR DEATH AT PSYCHIATRIC CENTRE, FAMILY DEMANDS ANSWERS

MANZINI – A Motsa family has more questions than answers, after their relative died under ‘unclear circumstances’ at the National Psychiatric Referral Hospital.

The 49-year-old Sibangani Motsa, from Ngculwini, died nine days after being admitted to the psychiatric hospital. Sibangani, according to his relatives, suffered from a mental illness, bipolar and was admitted to the hospital on June 21. The hospital reports reflect that he died on June 30.  The Motsa family has expressed concerns about his alleged treatment. They said they were troubled by an alleged lack of clarity on Sibangani’s last days and death.  They are demanding answers from the hospital regarding the circumstances surrounding Sibangani’s death.  Members of the Motsa family, who spoke to this publication, said they visited him on June 28, a week after his admission to the hospital.

Explanation

They alleged that they were not allowed to see him and no clear explanation was given. They said they were only told that there had been a severe episode. They said they suspected that he died on Friday and not on Sunday as reported by the hospital.  Sibangani’s elder brother, Muzi Motsa, recounted the events leading to his admission to the hospital.  “On June 21, they admitted Sibangani to the psychiatric centre. He was coherent and able to converse. A nurse even enquired if this was his first admission, to which Sibangani replied negatively,” he recalled. Muzi alleged that following an injection administered in a separate room, a nurse advised the family to visit him after seven days.  Muzi detailed that Sibangani was purportedly not in a critical condition when he was admitted.

Health

The family member said when they went to the health facility again, a health worker told them that the deceased had asked for permission to bask in the sun as he was feeling cold.  Motsa stated that they were told that he was found lying motionless and was later certified dead.  According to the family, this limited explanation was a cause for concern to them. They highlighted that what compounded their confusion was the timeline of events surrounding Sibangani’s death.  “We went to deliver lunch for him at his designated spot, only to find him unresponsive. We still question the significant delay in notifying us.

We were not informed of his passing until 4pm, despite the hospital claiming that he died around midday,” they said. The family alleged that the hospital was unable to provide a complete file documenting Sibangani’s care history, with medication and food records unavailable. They were of the view that the institution’s purported lack of transparency was a source of distress for them.  In their quest for answers, the family highlighted that they then sought clarity from the police in Manzini, petitioning the police to facilitate an autopsy on the deceased.
They suggested that Sibangani’s death may be linked to physical harm, purportedly inflicted during his stay at the psychiatric referral hospital.

They also supposed that his death could have resulted from a dosage error in administering medication or an alleged reckless oversight by health workers. “We are distraught, having hoped that Sibangani’s stay at the psychiatric centre would lead to his recovery.  As it is, we are left confused by the timeline provided by the hospital,” they shared.  The nurse who was dealing with the issue referred this publication to the Ministry of Health. Nsindiso Tsabedze, the Communications Officer in the ministry, was asked to explain why the family was not provided with a reason for the death of their loved one. 

He was further asked if the ministry conducted an autopsy to determine the cause of death, and if not, state the reasons why.The communications officer was queried further about the ministry’s policy regarding family visitation rights of their loved ones. He was further quizzed on how the ministry ensured transparency and accountability in such cases, where a patient died unexpectedly while under their care. 

Related

In addition, the ministry was asked what the patient’s death could be potentially related to, as well as if there were any signs or symptoms in the days leading up to his death that could indicate a possible cause. The ministry was also asked if there were any tests  performed to determine the cause of death. Lastly, it was probed if the cause of death remained unknown, what steps the ministry was taking to investigate and determine the cause. In response, Tsabedze said: “The ministry is aware of the matter and is awaiting a detailed report from the facility’s management team.” The ministry’s spokesperson added that the ministry was, therefore, unable to discuss the matter until further information had been provided.

The family of the late Sibangani claims that his body was taken to the mortuary without their permission.  According to the family, this raised concerns about transparency and potential attempts to conceal information. The family also claimed that it was not allowed access to  Sibangani’s medical records. “The last documented treatment noted in his file was an injection administered on Friday at 10am. However, there are no records of food or medication being provided from that point until Sunday, when he was discovered dead,” the family stated.

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