Patient dies as doctor leaves gauze in abdomen

MASVINGO – Masvingo Provincial Hospital Medical Superintendent, Dr Noel Ralph Zulu is facing a culpable homicide charge after he operated on a woman and allegedly left a 30x30cm gauze in her abdomen which is the suspected cause of her death.

Zulu who is the only surgeon in Masvingo appeared before Regional Magistrate Bishard Chineka on Wednesday and the State insists that it is his negligence that led to the death of the woman.

A surgical gauze, also known as an abdominal swab is a piece of cloth used to absorb blood and other fluids during an operation.

According to the State, the gauze remained in Gladys Sibanda’s abdomen for eight years from the date of the surgical operation in October 2015 to July 15 2023 when she collapsed and died while coming from a Zanu PF rally in Zaka.

Zulu is represented by Oliver Marwa of Tabana and Marwa legal practitioners while the State is represented by Mike Tembo.

He is facing culpable homicide as defined in Section 49 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23).

The Mirror is told that Dr Zulu’s lawyer applied for a discharge at the end of the State case. The State is going to produce images of the retrieved surgical gauze.

The State says that the deceased complained of chest pains and swelling abdomen soon after the surgical procedure and went back to Dr Zulu who demanded another fee to do a second surgical operation. The deceased could not raise the amount until she passed on, alleges the State.

The gauze was discovered by Dr Godfrey Zimbwa when he carried out a postmortem on the deceased on July 18, 2023 and noted that it had puss.

“The State will allege that the cause of the now deceased’s death was the retained surgical gauze/abdominal swab which was found lodged in the deceased’s abdomen. The State further alleges that it was through the accused’s negligence that the surgical gauze was retained in the now deceased’s abdomen after the surgical operation by the accused.

“The accused failed to exercise skill and duty of care required of a medical practitioner and surgeon in the manner he left the surgical gauze in the now deceased’s abdomen.

“Sibanda died with a grossly distented abdomen, no external injuries, plus or minus five (5) litres of blood stained peritoneal fluid, significant amount of altered blood on omentum, a shrunken pale liver and retained abdominal swab with puss noted,” reads the State outline.

Circumstances are that Sibanda of Matowa Village, Chief Zimuto, Masvingo fell ill in October 2015 and went to Zulu for his services after advice from nurses at Masvingo Provincial Hospital.

Zulu attended to Sibanda and recommended that she undergoes a CT scan. The CT scan was done at J V Avenues Clinic in Harare and Zulu was given the results. He noted that Sibanda had a swollen liver and recommended a surgical procedure.

Later that month, Sibanda was admitted at Masvingo Provincial Hospital for the surgical procedure which was carried out by Zulu.

Some days after the surgical procedure, Sibanda started complaining of chest pains and a swelling abdomen which required a follow up visit to the doctor.

Zulu recommended another surgical procedure at a fee which Sibanda was unable to raise. Her condition deteriorated until July 15, 2023, when she collapsed and was pronounced dead at St Anthony Mission’s Musiso Hospital in Zaka.

Her body was taken to Masvingo Provincial Hospital for a post-mortem that was conducted by Dr Godfrey Zimbwa on July 18, 2023. – Masvingo Mirror