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The 41-year-old woman who, while fighting for her life in hospital, gave birth hours after an accident is yet to undergo surgery.
She sustained pelvic and head injuries when a Free State Department of Health’s ambulance overturned on the R76 road on 16 November.
The woman is reportedly recovering from double trauma – surviving the accident and giving birth hours later. She was being transported from Steynsrus to Boitumelo Hospital in Kroonstad when the ambulance overturned.
According to Mondli Mvambi, spokesperson of the department, the unidentified woman is in stable condition and recovering from the accident. He said head surgery has been ruled out.
“After a computerized tomography (CT) scan was done on the patient at Pelonomi Hospital, it was confirmed she needs treatment for pelvic and mandibular fracture. There is a need for careful management and not to rush, so that the healing process can be well managed,” said Mvambi. He said the patient was referred to Bloemfontein for Maxillofacial surgery on 21 November, but rescheduled to 5 December.
“The patient continues to be treated at the Boitumelo Hospital for a pelvic fracture. She was recently seen by an orthopaedic surgeon, who reported that the patient is responding well to treatment and has started to slowly mobilise,” said Mvambi.
Following the department’s investigation, it was revealed that she gave birth to a baby boy and that she was the only patient while three other occupants in the ambulance were part of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) crew.
The other occupants include two paramedics, a 38-years-old-female driver and a 62-years-old-male, and a 55-years-old male, an EMS station cleaner who was being transported from Steynsrus to Kroonstad.
Mvambi confirmed that no person died. He said both the driver and cleaner who suffered minor injuries were discharged after receiving treatment, while the male paramedic underwent surgery at the Netcare Kroon Hospital.
The vehicle was damaged beyond repair. The bursting of the right front wheel is blamed for the accident.
