An infant has died after suffering a medical emergency outside the SASSA office in Bellville, on Tuesday morning.
According to SASSA Western Cape, the incident occurred
while a mother and her child were waiting in line at the Bellville contact
point for social grant services
‘’While waiting in line, the mother alerted officials that
her child was critically ill. SASSA staff responded immediately by contacting
emergency medical services. When it became apparent that there would be a delay
in the arrival of paramedics, officials acted swiftly in the best interest of
the child and assisted the mother by transporting both mother and child to the
nearest clinic on Reed Street, which is approximately 500 metres from the SASSA
Bellville Office,’’ said SASSA Western Cape in a statement.
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GOOGLE MAPSBush Radio News reached out to the Police Service for
comment, who said: ‘’Police had no initial record of the incident at the SASSA
office itself. However, Bellville police attended to an incident at a medical
facility in Bellville following the death of a seven-month-old baby. According
to reports, the mother noticed that her baby was unwell and went to a hospital,
where the child succumbed to the illness while she was in the queue. The
circumstances leading up to the infant’s sudden illness remain unclear,’’ said Constable
Ndakhe Gwala, Western Cape police spokesperson .
The Provincial Department of Health & Wellness confirmed
the incident saying the seven-month-old infant was brought to Reed Street CDC
in Bellville by her mother.
‘’Upon arrival, [at 08h43], the baby was immediately assessed
by our medical team. Sadly, the baby was not responsive and despite prompt
attention, the infant was found to be dead-on-arrival. No internal
investigation was initiated due to the circumstances and during this time, our
healthcare staff focused on supporting and guiding the mother during this
distressing time,’’ said Megan Davids, Department of Health and Wellness
Communications, Northern Tygerberg Substructure.
‘’At the time of the incident, staffing levels at the
facility were adequate to manage patient care and fully prepared to respond to
medical emergencies. As part of our standard procedures, all vulnerable groups
including children and the elderly are prioritised and triaged as urgent when
arriving at the facility,’’ she added.
Done By: Mitchum George
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