Pretoria - A healthcare worker has been shot and killed outside the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Joburg, the Gauteng Department of Health said on Tuesday.
“The Gauteng Department of Health has learnt with shock the news of the shooting and killing of a chief oral hygienist this morning near the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital,” said Gauteng Health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba.
The woman was on her way to work at the Lillian Ngoyi Community Health Centre in Soweto when he was brutally attacked.
“The news of this gruesome murder has been received with shock and deep sadness among fellow health workers,” Modiba added.
“The MEC for Health and Wellness (Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko) has condemned the incident and has implored law enforcement agencies to spare no effort to apprehend those behind this act,” said Modiba.
“We convey our deep condolences to the family of our fallen colleague, and we will, as a department, look at what kind of support they need at a time like this.”
Last year, the Gauteng Department of Health condemned “with the utmost contempt” the robbery of its Tshwane health district vaccination teams while they were on duty. At the time, the provincial authorities said the repeated robberies were compromising its Covid-19 vaccination drive.
“The continued attacks on mobile vaccination teams, who are taking the vaccine programme to the community, are not only putting the lives of health-care workers in danger, but they have negative impact on the vaccination programme,” Gauteng health spokesperson Kwara Kekana said at the time.
“In yet another incident, our partner, Pulse Health team, which is supporting Soshanguve Block JJ vaccination team, was robbed at gunpoint by a group of five men at a pop-up vaccination site next to Rivoningo Primary School in Soshanguve around 1.30pm.”
The incident happened as the vaccination team was busy at the pop-up vaccination site.
IOL