RK Khan Hospital in Chatsworth. File picture: Zanele Zulu RK Khan Hospital in Chatsworth. File picture: Zanele Zulu
Durban - The family of Sadek Ebrahim, who died shortly after a video of maggots in his mouth went viral last year, are suing the KwaZulu-Natal health department for R11million.
In a combined summons issued before the Durban High Court, Ebrahim's son Azaad Ebrahim and Azaad's wife, Edith Rajarruthinam, are suing RK Khan Hospital and the department for negligence.
Papers were served through the family's attorney, Theasen Pillay.
Last year, a video showing maggots crawling inside Ebrahim's mouth went viral on social media.
In May 2019, Ebrahim had been admitted to the Chatsworth hospital after falling ill. Ebrahim was undergoing treatment for gangrene on one of his legs. According to Azaad, no one at the hospital had noticed what had happened to his father.
He said when he went to visit his father, he noticed that his upper lip was swollen. At first, he didn't think much of it but when he lifted his father's lip, he found maggots inside his mouth.
The 52-year-old died on June 19.
The family claimed that the hospital failed to provide proper treatment and administer the appropriate medication when Ebrahim was taken to hospital to report sores on his feet.
They further claim that the hospital failed to take the necessary steps to ensure that Ebrahim was kept in a hygienic condition after his last admission.
According to the summons, the hospital failed to keep Ebrahim's mouth clean so as to ensure that there was no infection or cause for bacteria, including maggots, to be present.
The family believe that Ebrahim would have lived if the hospital acted timeously and with due diligence.
Pillay said the summons was served to officials at the health department last week. They have been given 30 days to respond as to whether they will be defending the case and will have to submit their plea to do so.
Department spokesperson Noluthando Nkosi said; "As a matter of principle the department does not comment on matters that are pending before a court. When this matter first emerged the department took decisive, immediate and swift action and would like to leave it at that at this point."
