Bereaved mother of strangled son to receive N$110 000 from health ministry
Son strangled by another patient in hospital's mental health unit
In addition to paying out a lump sum of N$110 000, the ministry has agreed to provide free psychological counselling and contribute N$15 000 towards Gaingos' legal fees, according to the settlement agreement.
The bereaved mother of the late Petrus Gaingob, who was strangled to death in Windhoek Central Hospital's mental health unit, will be paid N$110 000 by the health ministry following a settlement agreement signed by the parties.
The settlement comes after Mathilde Gaingos initially filed a N$750 000 medical negligence lawsuit against the ministry in May last year.
The agreement was reached nearly two years after her then 30-year-old son was strangled to death by another patient.
Gaingob was admitted to the hospital's mental health unit in August 2022 and died in September 2022 after getting into a physical altercation with another patient while confined in a seclusion room in the same medical unit, court documents stated.
A post-mortem revealed that he died from asphyxiation due to strangulation.
According to court filings, the hospital staff justified putting Gaingob in a seclusion room as he was allegedly known to run away or escape from the hospital frequently without notifying hospital staff.
The post-mortem, conducted by Dr Soraya Podewiltz, also revealed several small bruises on the front of his neck, brain haemorrhaging, fractures on both sides of the base of the skull, and blood clots in the neck muscles, including the hyoid bone.
Reached an agreement
The case was referred to mediation court, scheduled for 20 November, with Jacomina Jacobs appointed as the mediator.
Gaingos and the health ministry submitted their three-page mediation orders one or two weeks prior to the proceedings in November. Gaingos, represented by Francois Bangamwabo, and the ministry, represented by Panderee Kamarenga, subsequently reached a settlement.
The detailed settlement agreement, made public on the justice ministry's online system on 17 January, indicates that the ministry will pay N$110 000 in one installment, provide free psychological counselling and contribute N$15 000 towards Gaingos' legal fees.
Gaingos had originally sought compensation for emotional shock and trauma in the amount of N$400 000, future medical expenses related to psychological counselling totalling N$300 000 and funeral expenses amounting to N$50 000.
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The settlement comes after Mathilde Gaingos initially filed a N$750 000 medical negligence lawsuit against the ministry in May last year.
The agreement was reached nearly two years after her then 30-year-old son was strangled to death by another patient.
Gaingob was admitted to the hospital's mental health unit in August 2022 and died in September 2022 after getting into a physical altercation with another patient while confined in a seclusion room in the same medical unit, court documents stated.
A post-mortem revealed that he died from asphyxiation due to strangulation.
According to court filings, the hospital staff justified putting Gaingob in a seclusion room as he was allegedly known to run away or escape from the hospital frequently without notifying hospital staff.
The post-mortem, conducted by Dr Soraya Podewiltz, also revealed several small bruises on the front of his neck, brain haemorrhaging, fractures on both sides of the base of the skull, and blood clots in the neck muscles, including the hyoid bone.
Reached an agreement
The case was referred to mediation court, scheduled for 20 November, with Jacomina Jacobs appointed as the mediator.
Gaingos and the health ministry submitted their three-page mediation orders one or two weeks prior to the proceedings in November. Gaingos, represented by Francois Bangamwabo, and the ministry, represented by Panderee Kamarenga, subsequently reached a settlement.
The detailed settlement agreement, made public on the justice ministry's online system on 17 January, indicates that the ministry will pay N$110 000 in one installment, provide free psychological counselling and contribute N$15 000 towards Gaingos' legal fees.
Gaingos had originally sought compensation for emotional shock and trauma in the amount of N$400 000, future medical expenses related to psychological counselling totalling N$300 000 and funeral expenses amounting to N$50 000.
[email protected]
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