Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says his department will continue with an investigation into the sterilisation of HIV positive women without their consent. This is after the outcome of an investigation by the Commission for Gender Equality revealed that at least 48 women were victims of this.
Appearing before a joint meeting of the Portfolio Committees of Health as well as Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Mkhize said at this stage no concrete evidence could be found because a lot of information is still outstanding.
A report by the Commission for Gender Equality started an investigation in 2017 after receiving complaints from women that they have been forced or coerced into sterilisation on the basis of their HIV positive status.
The Commission releases report into sterilisation of HIV positive women:
Earlier this year, they handed their report to the national Department of Health, but any progress on the matter was put on the back burner due to COVID-19.
The department says initially the Commission had 48 complaints but only 18 of those delivered concrete information.
Mkhize says the department will continue with its investigation because there is a lot of information outstanding. “Which Dr. implicated, nobody knows, report by the commission doesn’t have that. Available records don’t show clear line of culpability. We are saying patient files are not available, affidavits weren’t available until three days ago, they were not available.”
He gave Members of Parliament the assurance that strong action will be taken against those found guilty of coercing anyone into sterilisation. “We must find out what the situation was and if it happened without consent, it’s unthinkable, just unthinkable and all of those who say this must be handled with urgency, we are together on that.”
Director-General Sandile Buthelezi says going forward they will implement the recommendations by the commission, among others, that consent forms be made available in all languages, including Braille.
“The irreversibility of this should be made clear, specifically. Also if a person agrees there must be a given cooling-off period, not be told shortly before operation and that they are at liberty to change mind at any time.”
