Misdiagnosis of TB and Cancer in South Africa
A young woman from the Eastern Cape, Sinentlahla Shinga, was wrongly treated for Tuberculosis (TB) instead of cancer, highlighting a significant clinical challenge in rural parts of South Africa.
For two years, 20-year-old Shinga believed she was being treated for TB, but her condition worsened, and she became bedridden and unable to care for herself.
She was the shadow of her former self... She was so weak, she couldn’t even walk or eat properly.
Her family’s worst fears were confirmed when doctors at a hospital in Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal, told them that Shinga had been misdiagnosed with Lymphoma, which had already spread throughout her body.
A relative, Pinky Qushwana, expressed shock and sadness at the misdiagnosis, stating that the family was devastated by the news.
Author's summary: Misdiagnosis of TB and cancer remains a challenge.