Cape Town - The South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) has called for more protection for healthcare workers after a nurse at Uitenhage Provincial Hospital was allegedly assaulted by men after requesting a patient be brought into the hospital to be attended to.
Shortly after 6.10am on Sunday, three men brought another man with gunshot wounds to the hospital and demanded that nurses go to the car and carry him in.
The nurses told the men only women were on duty and requested they bring the injured man into the trauma unit.
According to information, one of the men refused and punched a nurse in the face, before proceeding to kick her.
Trauma security called the security guards stationed at the gate as backup and the assaulted nurse managed to escape.
Before speeding off in a black Ford Fiesta, the men threatened trauma staff, saying should the man they had brought die because of his gunshot wounds, they would be back to kill everyone.
However, the unidentified man was declared dead on arrival.
Saftu Eastern Cape spokesperson Mzikazi Nkata said the union demanded that the provincial Department of Health take necessary measures in addressing the matter as the nurse was attacked on duty.
“Another attack and humiliation of a healthcare worker is a serious concern and a setback to the Department of Health in the Eastern Cape Province.
“This nurse is a servant of the department, serving the community and working tirelessly after our own government has blatantly refused to acknowledge the amount of work and dedication that health workers are giving to the service. This is the same nurse that was ready and still is to come back to communities to share their expertise in providing health care and services, regardless of the conditions health employees are working under,” said Nkata.
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Priscilla Naidu said at this stage no case of assault had been opened by the nurse.
“It is alleged that on Sunday, at about 5:40am, police attended to a complaint of a shooting at Stephen Street, Blikkiesdorp in Kamesh.”
It is alleged a 30-year-old man and another person were standing in front of a house when two unknown men appeared and started shooting at them.
The man sustained two gunshot wounds and was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle. He died on arrival.
“The incident is gang-related and the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation is investigating a case of murder. The motive is unknown at this stage,” said Naidu.
Eastern Cape MEC of Health, Nomakhosazana Meth called on the police to leave no stone unturned in bringing the men to justice.
“Counselling will be offered to the traumatised workers.
Management has also arranged for staff to cover the day shift as both day and night shift staff are traumatised by the events.
“It cannot be that hard-working and dedicated healthcare workers continue being targeted by thugs in Nelson Mandela Bay.
“When our staff, who continue going above and beyond the call of duty are too traumatised to go to work, it will be communities that will suffer at the end of the day. We are calling on communities to work with law enforcement agencies to ensure that those who continue targeting healthcare workers, which includes EMS personnel, are arrested and prosecuted,” said Meth.
Cape Times