State rejects claim of needle left in patient for 22 years

The health ministry has dismissed claims that a surgical needle could have remained undetected in a patient’s body for more than two decades, describing the allegation as medically implausible.

“It is improbable that the first documented symptoms of a foreign object will present six years after the fact… such symptoms have no basis in medicine and/or logic."

The submission is contained in court documents filed by the ministry in its defence of a N$1.5 million medical negligence lawsuit, in which a 53-year-old Windhoek woman alleges that a surgical needle was left inside her body for 22 years.

The ministry argues that a foreign object of that nature would normally be expected to cause earlier, consistent and medically traceable complications.

However, the ministry says the woman’s symptoms allegedly only appeared much later and in a scattered pattern over time, making her version of events medically unlikely.

While the ministry acknowledges that an object was eventually found and removed, it denies that it originated from any procedure performed by its medical personnel.

Paper trail

The matter, which was before court last Tuesday, saw the woman’s lawyer, Elize Yssel, move to compel the ministry to disclose medical records spanning more than two decades.

In terms of Rule 28(8)(a), she requested that the ministry provide a detailed statement indicating whether it holds, or previously held, hospital and clinic records relating to her treatment.

The request also covers admission notes, clinical observations, surgical reports, scans, specialist reports and staff duty rosters for the periods in question.

The woman previously approached the court in September last year, claiming that the needle was only discovered and removed in 2024 – 22 years after she underwent a caesarean section and related procedure at Otjiwarongo State Hospital in 2002.

She alleges that she suffered years of unexplained pain, recurring infections and discomfort and sought medical assistance at several state facilities without receiving a diagnosis.

State proffers alternatives

However, the State, represented by lawyer Deon Ndana, says it has no records confirming that she presented at Okakarara State Clinic on 1 June 2002 or that she was transferred to Otjiwarongo State Hospital as claimed.

“The defendants have no record of the woman presenting herself… with labour pain," the plea states, adding that no documentation has been provided to support her version of events.

Ndana further challenges the medical basis of the claim, arguing that the delayed onset and irregular pattern of symptoms described by the plaintiff are inconsistent with the presence of a foreign object.

It also contends that the symptoms she experienced are more consistent with “vaginal discharge syndrome (VDS) and/or sexually transmitted infections", which are commonly treated based on presenting symptoms.

[email protected]