Threatened nurses narrate torture stories at the hands of gangs to MEC Sambatha
North West Health MEC Madoda Sambatha has advised Head of Security in the Department to Health to position armed guards at Grace Mokhomo Clinic in Kanana Location near Orkney while looking for a permanent solution to protect health professionals. The decision follows an unannounced visit to the clinic by MEC Sambatha to assess level of healthcare service delivery.
MEC Sambatha was welcomed by health professionals who said they are fearing for their safety and no longer enjoy to serve due to gangs terrorising them.
“We live in fear. Day and night gangs are terrorising us. They fight wherever and come here for assistance and expect us to leave everything and everyone or else…,” one nurse told the MEC.
“Our security is helpless in such situations as gang members come here heavily armed. The police do assist but they respond late. We need to feel safe when serving our people,” a female nurse continued with teary eyes.
MEC Sambatha said the situation is not conducive and that the safety of healthcare workers is a priority hence the need to do a security assessment.
“I am going to mobilise the community to stand with our healthcare workers and general staff in all the clinics in Kanana so that when health professionals need the community to protect them they do receive protection.
“The security director in the Department will visit the Grace Mokhomo Clinic and all clinics in Kanana to do a security assessment to see what additional security methods we need to improve security of our members,” he said.
Patients at the clinic told MEC Sambatha that long queues are a problem.
Maria Chabaku (35) told the MEC that patients wait forever to get a file and the service is slow. “We need more nurses,” she said.
The MEC has committed to attend to all service delivery challenges facing the clinic. He also visited Ruben Buzile Nzima Clinic in Orkney.
The visit to the two clinics forms part of commitment by MEC Sambatha following his appointment in December 2018 to unblock health service delivery challenges in the province.
Enquiries:
Tebogo Lekgethwane
Cell: 0829299958
E-mail: tlekgethwane@nwpg.gov.za
