Patient stabs doctor at Lillian Ngoyi community centre

Patients wait with the hope of being attended to at the Lillian Ngoyi Community Health Centre in Soweto. Picture: Boxer Ngwenya

Patients wait with the hope of being attended to at the Lillian Ngoyi Community Health Centre in Soweto. Picture: Boxer Ngwenya

Published May 23, 2022

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By: Siyabonga Sithole

JOHANNESBURG – A female doctor was attacked by a patient at the Lillian Ngoyi Community Health Centre in Soweto on Thursday night.

The incident has not been confirmed by the community centre, but a member of staff at the facility who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that a female doctor had indeed been injured by one of the patients.

"I can't tell you much as we are not allowed to speak to the media. I know that the doctor involved was injured and has not returned since the incident. We are also fearful of patients, and as someone stationed at the gate there are always one or two patients or visitors who give us problems. There's nothing we can do as we are tasked with ensuring other people’s safety," the staff member said.

The head of the facility also refused to comment or confirm if one of her members of staff had been attacked, and referred this paper to the Gauteng Department of Health for comment.

"I can neither confirm nor deny that such an incident did or did not take place. I can speak once you have received the green light from my PRO, but until then I cant say anything," the matron said.

However, the incident was confirmed by the DA shadow MEC for the Department of Health and member of Parliament, Jack Bloom.

"A female doctor was attacked by a patient on Thursday last week at the Lillian Ngoyi Clinic in Soweto, which has also suffered from power cuts as its generators failed to work.

"This busy clinic is situated next to the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, but has only a skeleton security staff since security contracts expired earlier this year,“ Bloom said.

Indeed, when the newspaper arrived there was only one person manning the boom gate leading to the health centre, and the person was not dressed in security apparel. In previous visits there had been two uniformed security guards.

The DA also lambasted the lack of enforcement at the facility, saying that last week’s incident, in which the doctor suffered injuries to her hand, follows other security problems there.

Other issues that Bloom says are of concern include the recent power problems on which this newspaper has reported, as well as security issues and the closure of certain departments.

"Services at the clinic have been limited for the past three weeks because of security and power issues. The X-ray department and the pharmacy have had to close for extended periods because the generator has run out of diesel, while certain specialised tests cannot be performed with the unreliable power.“

Bloom added that staff at the facility had tried to raise these issues with the management.

"Staff have raised issues repeatedly with management, but there has been no improvement in this dire situation where they live in fear," he said.

The Star reached out to the Gauteng Department of Health, and spokesperson Kwara Kekana admitting to the shortage of security personnel at the facility.

"Yes. It is true that a doctor was attacked by a patient. A male patient arrived in the facility for medical attention but was not wearing a mask.The doctor requested that the patient sit down and wear a mask so that his vital signs could be taken. A few minutes later, the patient approached the doctor aggressively, demanding to be seen immediately. The next thing the doctor saw was the patient manhandling him. As a result the doctor sustained an injury to the middle finger.“

Regarding the shortage of security personnel in the facility, Kekana said the department was working to rectify this.

"Yes, there is limited security coverage inside the facility. The department is in the process of appointing a new private security company for optimal coverage of the clinic. Scheme Private Security company has withdrawn their services since Saturday, April 30, due to issues known by the company. Currently, the security officers that are appointed by Gauteng Department of Health are providing security services in the clinic," Kekana said.

The Star

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