Patients at the Ramokonopi community health centre in Ekurhuleni have been left unattended after nurses withdrew their labour. Nurses’ union – DENOSA – says the withdrawal is over safety concerns.
DENOSA claims one member – a midwife – was allegedly physically and verbally assaulted by a patient’s family at the weekend. It’s not clear at this stage what led to the attack.
DENOSA claims such attacks happen regularly and without any intervention from security personnel at the clinic.
DENOSA regional secretary, Lebohang Khumalo, says nurses will now report for duty at surrounding clinics until the matter is resolved.
“The security did not meet us yesterday – now we are going to meet them. So we are hoping they’ll give us answers. They’ve given our members panic buttons which are supposed to assist them with a reaction from an armed response unit. But that did not happen… that response team came more than three hours later. Sometimes when such incidents happen there’s not even a response.”
