18 October 2024 by Limpho Sello

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A 20-year-old woman from Leribe has lost the ability to have children after a cottonwool-like material was allegedly left inside her stitched womb by a doctor at Mamohau Mission Hospital.

The negligence, which has gone unpunished to this day, led to severe infection, leaving doctors at Queen Mamohato Memorial Hospital unable to save her womb during a corrective surgery.

“No hearing has been conducted against the doctor who stitched the woman’s womb with gauze still inside,” a source at Mamohau Mission Hospital told Uncensored News on October 16, 2024.

Gauze is a cotton wool-like dressing material used in wound care. Sources at Mamohau Mission Hospital claim that the doctor responsible remains unpunished due to the alleged incompetence of hospital manager Joalane Mokuena, who is accused of being unfit to run the church-owned facility.

In another incident, a woman reportedly gave birth on her own at the same hospital. The medical officer on duty during the self-delivery has allegedly faced no consequences for this oversight.

The problem extends beyond individual incidents. Staff at Mamohau Mission Hospital claim that patients are receiving unclear medical diagnoses because Mokuena has allegedly reassigned a qualified radiographer to a laboratory assistant role, while the X-ray department is now staffed by dental assistant, cashiers, and IT personnel.

Additionally, staff accuse Mokuena of exploitation, victimisation, and corrupt practices. They claim that she forces staff members involved in car accidents while driving insured hospital vehicles to pay for damages, even though the costs are covered by the insurance company.

“We are bringing to your attention that drivers are forced to pay damages for such incidence which leads to deductions of money amounting to LSL30,000 and above from their little earning.

“There is also an incidence whereby one junior accountant was forced by Ms. Mokuena to take a loan to pay LSL50,000 amount of money that disappeared even before that official occupies the office and the rumour has it that the money was used by Ms. Mokuena when she was at school because Ms. Mokuena still calls shorts and run the hospital even when she is on study leave,” read the letter dated September 8, 2024.

These serious allegations against Mokuena were outlined in a letter to Bishop Tumaole Bane (O.M.I). Mokuena has stated that she will only be able to address the accusations, which include claims of corruption and incompetence, once Bishop Bane has communicated with her.

Bishop Bane’s denial

The letter from the Mamohau Mission Hospital staff, dated September 8, 2024 and seen by Uncensored News, was handed over Bishop Tumaole Bane’s office on October 14, 2024.

The letter, which calls for Mokuena’s dismissal, claims that doctors at this hospital no longer have the medical discretion to determine when to admit and discharge patients.

“We believe (it) is up to a doctor’s decision to admit, refer and discharge a patient all based on their professional discretion, it is surprising that this does not apply with Mamohau Mission Hospital since Ms. Mokuena is the one having final decision with this regard.

“She calls meeting for doctors and order them to do admissions just for beds occupancy which puts some families on unnecessary debts of the hospital bills,” read the letter. It is not clear how increasing bed occupancy benefits the hospital.

The letter also claims that some doctors were made to personally cover the cost of rooms occupied by a nurse and a driver at a guest house during a patient transfer from Mamohau to Queen “Mamohato Memorial Hospital. Mokuena allegedly blamed the doctors for authorising the transfer during snowfall conditions.

“The hospital drivers are forced and given three months leave just to go and drive Ms. Mokuena’s personal vehicles where they are renting while they are paid by the hospital, not leaving out that on daily basis they still use hospital vehicles to run Ms. Mokuena’s personal errands,” read the letter.

The letter further alleges that hospital cleaners have been reassigned to work at Mokoena’s residential house, leaving the hospital understaffed and unattended.

“For unknown reason Ms. Mokuena tends to use the hospital resources to her own profit. Ms Mokuena has taken her flock of sheep to the hospital flock and mixed them together as one flock and the caretaker is paid by the hospital.

“This arrangement affects the transparency when selling wool after shearing of such sheep since no one can determine which payment belonging to the hospital and which one is belonging to Ms. Mokuena,” read the letter to Bishop Bane.

When contacted by phone on October 16, 2024, Bishop Tumaole Bane told Uncensored News that he had not received the letter in question.

“I have not received any letter,” he said.

When this reporter asked him to address the allegations contained in the letter, Bishop Bane responded, “I will not respond to such matters telephonically. I work face-to-face.” Bishop Bane operates from Leribe.

Meanwhile, Uncensored News has learned that the letter was delivered to Father Phenethi, a close assistant of Bishop Bane.

In a separate interview, Father Phenethi said: “Yes, I received the letter through my position as the right-hand man of the Bishop and did what was supposed to be done with it.” He said he handed over the letter to Bishop Bane’ s secretary.

Community outcry

While the staff are aggrieved, the surrounding community, which relies on Mamohau Mission Hospital for healthcare, is equally frustrated. On October 16, 2024, the community held a public gathering to express their dissatisfaction with the hospital’s poor services.

Speaking on behalf of the community, Community Councillor Masalemone Koetlisi told Uncensored News that residents are unhappy with the care provided at the hospital.

 “They complain about having to wait hours to be seen by a doctor, only to be turned away because there’s just one foreign doctor working at the hospital,” Koetlisi said.

 “Sometimes patients leave without any treatment because nurses drag their feet when assistance is needed.”

The hospital pharmacy also came under fire. Koetlisi stated that many in the community alleged they are forced to pay for services but often receive no medication. They are instead told to buy from private pharmacies.

Koetlisi added that one of the most pressing issues raised was the exorbitant cost of accessing emergency services at night. The hospital reportedly charges M50 for night-time services, a significant hike from the usual M15.

“No one chooses to get sick. But with these fees, people have to wait until morning because they can’t afford to pay.”

She said in one particularly disturbing incident, during a recent snowstorm, a patient who needed urgent care at Queen Mamohato Memorial Hospital was referred by the doctor and transported in one of the hospital’s ambulances.

“The staff say an ambulance got stuck due to snowfall, and the nurses accompanying the patient were told to book themselves into a hotel at their own expense. Worse still, the doctor who authorised the referral was asked to pay for repairs on the ambulance.

“He didn’t even anticipate the snow, and yet he was penalised for it,” Koetlisi said.

Mokuena’s response

Contacted for comment on October 16, 2024, Mokuena told Uncensored News she had not received any letter and was unaware of its contents.

“I am not aware of this letter you are referring to,” Mokuena said.

“Please give me until next week Wednesday (October 23, 2024) because I think by then my senior will have called me, and I will be in a proper space to respond to these allegations.”

However, she indicated that, to the best of her knowledge, the hospital’s operations were running smoothly. Regarding the community gathering, she acknowledged hearing about it from a hospital board member but emphasised that she had not received any formal complaints.

“No one has entered my office to hand over such a letter but yes, I have been informed that there is a community gathering, and one member of the hospital board attended that meeting. That member of the board had informed me that some staff members persuaded the community to write a letter, which should be addressed to me.”

Despite the claims against her, Mokoena stated that she would cooperate and respond to the allegations once she had seen the letter. She further added that she would acknowledge any accusations that are true and refute those that are false. Uncensored News will publish Mokoena’s side of the story once it is received.

Bishop Bane’s silence

Meanwhile, Mamohau Mission Hospital and the community have expressed frustrations over Bishop Tumaole Bane’s silence.  

“We wrote that letter and delivered it on Monday, and still, nothing. How can he say he hasn’t received it when his secretary has received the letter?” asked one staff member.

On her part, Koetlisi said the community had lost faith in the hospital’s leadership.

 “The board has been silent on all the complaints we’ve raised. If there were a functional board, they would have addressed these issues a long time ago.”

Koetlisi said she had informed both the District Administrator and Malibamatšo member of parliament, Mokoto Hloaele about this matter. She claimed the DA and Hloaele have promised to visit the community.

“I am waiting for their assistance as our leaders. They promised to come, so I hope they will.”

Meanwhile, Uncensored News has learned that a crisis meeting was held at the hospital premises. Attendees included representation of Christian Health Association of Lesotho  (CHAL), District Administrator of Leribe, hospital management, Community Councilor, The Bishop’s representative, hospital board and the Lesotho Catholic Bishop Conference.