R5.5m claim after baby born with cerebral palsy

The mother of a five-year-old boy born with cerebral palsy, allegedly because of the negligence of the clinic where her son was delivered, is claiming more than R5.5 million from the Alexandra Health Centre and University Clinic and Gauteng health MEC.

Lerato Leba, an unemployed mother from Alexandra, blames her sons condition entirely on the staff at the health centre.

She said they made her give birth naturally to Koketso in October 13, leaving her as she endured 17 hours of agonising labour, instead of giving her a Caesarean.

She appealed to the nursing staff to transfer her to the Johannesburg General Hospital, but her pleas fell on deaf ears, according to papers before the Pretoria High Court.

Her son suffered brain damage during the birth.

The health clinic is a welfare organisation that falls under the auspices of the Gauteng health MEC.

Leba went to the clinic during her pregnancy, where she was monitored.

She was admitted to the clinic on October 11, 2006 with lower abdominal pain, but was discharged that evening after a brief physical examination by a member of the nursing staff.

The nurse concluded that Leba was not in labour and so did not have to be medically treated.

Leba returned to the clinic a day later and it was clear she was in labour.

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R5.5m claim after baby born with cerebral palsy