Zim GBC News | South African Correspondent<\/p>\n\n\n\n
JOHANNESBURG \u2013 A young mother from Alexandra is seeking compensation and accountability after claiming that staff at Masakhane Clinic wrongly diagnosed her as HIV-positive, leading her to administer antiretroviral (ARV) medication to her newborn for a month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moloko Letlalo, who lives in Vasco, gave birth at the clinic on November 24, 2024. She was informed post-delivery that she had tested positive for HIV and was immediately prescribed ARVs for herself and her infant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI gave my baby the ARVs for a month,\u201d Letlalo told Zim GBC News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut when I retested at Thoko Ngoma Clinic, all my results came back negative. That\u2019s when I realized they had made a terrible mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The alleged misdiagnosis has had severe personal consequences. Letlalo\u2019s partner ended their relationship upon learning of the initial diagnosis, leaving her and her baby without a home. She also lost her identification documents and those needed to register her child\u2019s birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her attempts to seek redress were initially met with resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen I returned to Masakhane Clinic to report the mistake, they accused me of being in denial,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Letlalo stated that a healthcare worker from Thoko Ngoma Clinic assisted her in getting retested and subsequently contacted Masakhane on her behalf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe manager promised to investigate, but we are still waiting for a response,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The experience has left lasting emotional scars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEven now, my baby\u2019s Road-to-Health card states that I am HIV-positive. It makes me feel terrible every time I see it,\u201d Letlalo revealed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI want the clinic to take responsibility and compensate us for what they did.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Gauteng Department of Health had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Zim GBC News | Global News From An African Perspective\u00a92025<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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