On December ninth, thirty seven year old Belize City resident Glenford Lewis was admitted to the KHMH. But just over one month following the operation he was discharged with more than he had expected. A few days ago Lewis made a painful discovery: the doctor left a four-inch gauze inside of him. Today Lewis visited our studios armed with a picture and the evidence of his claim.
Glenford Lewis, Claims Hospital Negligence
"I broke my foot two years ago on the thirtieth of November 2005 and I went to take the operation to take a piece of bone graph from out of my foot, from out of my waist and put it in my foot. After a month and seventeen days I get out of my chair on Monday morning about two thirty and I started to squeeze
my side and start to take out the pus when I look I saw a white thing, a yellow thing came out of my side and I thought it was a hard pus and when I start to haul it, it start to hurt and the hole start to get bigger. When I washed it, I conscious it was a gauze that they left in me. I conscious it was that they had left inside."
Jacqueline Godwin,
What went through your mind, were you frightened, were you shocked?
Glenford Lewis,
"I start to tremble right away when I see that because I wanted to know what was that. About three weeks ago, one of my friends, told me boy mind they never left something in you and I told him I noh think that will happen. Because my foot was alright but he said your side is not getting better and when I gone back to him last night and say boy something was in my side.
This morning when I gone to let them take them out, I was frightened but I know it was that from the time I the haul it and I the see it. I see the string the come out like a thread then I know they had left it in me. I went to the doctor and the doctor said how everybody makes mistakes and left it in you. They made a mistake and left it in you but I asked him if you would count ten piece of the gauze you suppose to check that when the operation done and count back to see that you have ten. If you got nine then you know one short, one has to be somewhere about."
Lewis says that since he broke his foot he has been unable to work. This morning he went to the KHMH to see what kind of financial contribution might be offered but was told that no kind of assistance could be given. Lewis says he intends to seek legal advice. According to the KHMH authority, it has received the report and is investigating the complaint.
