A Bulawayo family was left shaken after Mpilo Central Hospital mistakenly informed them that their elderly relative had died, only for them to later discover her alive.
The family had been told that 79-year-old Idah Mushongahande had passed away, leading them to begin funeral preparations. Their sorrow quickly turned to disbelief when they found her alive and reported to be in stable condition.
According to family representative Chantel Dube, the ordeal began on December 1 when Mushongahande was admitted for complications related to arthritis and Parkinson’s disease.
“On December 2 at 10:08 PM we received a call saying our grandmother had died,” she said.
The family immediately contacted Nyaradzo Funeral Services as they prepared for what they thought would be a burial.
However, when they arrived at the hospital, they were stunned to find Mushongahande alive.
“She had a strong pulse and did not appear to be in any critical danger,” Dube said.
She criticised the nurses on duty for offering no proper explanation, only describing the mix-up as a mistake. The family is now weighing legal action over what they believe was gross negligence.
Hospital spokesperson Matron Norma Dube could not be reached for comment. Hospital CEO Dr Narcissus Dzvanga referred questions to the Clinical Director, Professor Solwayo Ngwenya.
Prof Ngwenya expressed regret over the incident, saying internal investigations had already begun.
“We cannot comment fully until we receive a complete report. We sympathise with the family and regret the trauma they experienced,” he said.
