For Immediate Release:
Date: 28 February 2023
Remove Healthcare Professionals who violate patients from public facilities now! SANAC Civil Society Forum
South African National AIDS Council Civil Society Forum (SANAC CSF) is appalled by an incident involving a 22-year-old pregnant woman reportedly ill-treated by a male healthcare professional at Ntabankulu Community Healthcare Centre in the Eastern Cape and is calling for him to be held accountable urgently.
The woman, whose name is known to SANAC CSF, visited the Health Care Centre, on Sunday morning, 26 February 2023, after experiencing pains which reportedly led to a miscarriage. It is reported that she was unable to walk by the time she reached the facility and was being aided by a 19-year-old friend.
Upon arrival, apparently, security guards at the facility had to wake up the nurses who were sleeping on duty to attend to her, following which, she was attended to by a ‘not so’ professional Luyolo Somhlahlo, who is a Professional Nurse at this facility.
Somhlahlo was with his two other colleagues, a male Nurse and a female Nurse, and he took the towel that the young woman had wrapped herself with and used it as a sheet on the facility’s bed while removing the foetus.
During this process, it is reported that Somhlahlo was hurling insults to the young woman accusing her of having attempted to terminate the pregnancy, calling her a criminal and a liar. He reportedly also forcefully took the young woman’s mobile phone and took a picture of the foetus and told her to go and show her friends the consequences of abortion.
Even more disturbing, it is reported that Somhlahlo placed the foetus in a plastic bag and gave the foetus to the young woman to take home.
“This healthcare professional has violated section 27 (1a) of the South African Constitution which clearly states that ”everyone has the right to have access to ”health care services, including reproductive health”, says Khanyisa Dunjwa SANAC CSF Provincial Chairperson.
“He has violated this young woman’s right to dignity. He has tortured her and humiliated her. We are calling for the Department of Health to take action against Luyolo Somhlahlo and his colleagues. They do not deserve to serve our communities as they acted in a very barbaric manner”, Dunjwa adds.
Chairperson of SANAC Civil Society Forum Mmapaseka Steve Letsike says the responsible health professionals should suspended immediately, the matter be investigated, and employees dealt with through disciplinary procedures.
“This is an unfortunate incident that happened in Eastern Cape and possibly in other areas such occur. The Health Sector cannot and should not entertain such acts. Violations or lack of attention to human rights can have serious health consequences. Overt or implicit discrimination in the delivery of health services – both within the health workforce and between health workers and service users – act as a powerful barrier to health services and contributes to poor quality care”, Letsike says.
She added that equality and equity of services remains primary for South Africa and that substandard services should not be accepted. “The patient should be supported with psychosocial support and redress approach should be applied”, she concluded.
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For all Media enquiries:
Contact: Nthateng Mhlambiso – CSF Communications Officer
Email: nthateng@sanaccsf.org.za Tel: 012 784 1000 Mobile: +27 72 715 5425
Notes to Editors
The SANAC Civil Society Forum (CSF) is a formal advisory body established in 2012 by the South African National AIDS Council to facilitate the participation of Civil Society Organisations and networks, including those representing People Living with HIV, in the HIV and AIDS and TB within the National HIV response and for the implementation thereof National Strategic Plan (NSP) on HIV, TB and STI’s through sectors.
The SANAC CSF aims to promote an inclusive, competent, and responsive civil society that effectively serves the needs of the people of the South African communities, by linking and diversifying civil society actors, expanding the sectors and communities where civil society contributes, improving civil society organisations’ operations, and enhancing connections between civil society organisations with their stakeholders and constituents.
The CSF Lekgotla is a policy conference which seeks to coordinate the voices and participation of civil society structures at key platforms, renew the mandate of SANAC CSF, and ensure prioritisation of local efforts in the National HIV and AIDS, TB and STI’s response in the country
The NSP is the strategic guide for the national response to HIV, TB and STIs in South Africa. This plan is developed for 5-year cycles with the current NSP coming to an end at the 31 March 2023, following a 1-year extension due to Covid19. SANAC is currently in the process of developing this new National Strategic Plan.
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