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Staff at the Provincial Hospital in Kariega were too traumatised to return to work on Sunday after a nurse was brutally assaulted by one of three men who arrived at the health facility with a gunshot victim in their car.
The Eastern Cape Health Department said in a statement on Sunday that trauma patients were now being diverted to the Letitia Bam Hospital.
Department spokesperson, Mkhululi Ndamase, said the drama unfolded shortly after 6.10 AM when the men arrived at the hospital with the gunshot victim and insisted that the nurses fetch him from the car.
He said as there were only female nurses on duty, they requested that they bring the man inside the trauma unit.
“However, one of the men refused and punched one of the nurses in the face before proceeding to kick her. Trauma security called the security guards stationed at the gate as a backup. The assaulted nurse managed to escape,” he said.
Ndamase said before speeding off in a black Ford Fiesta, the men removed the wounded man from the car and threatened to return and kill everyone should he die.
He said the unknown man was declared dead on arrival.
Ndamase said the Department has arranged for armed response to be at the facility as an interim measure.
He said the night staff was also too scared to report for duty which necessitated that patients, doctors as well as one of the armed guards will be diverted to Laetitia Bam to ensure service continuity.
"This is in relation to new trauma cases.”
Eastern Cape Health MEC Nomakhosazana Meth said she was shocked by the blatant attack, adding that counselling will be offered to the traumatised workers.
“Communities need to treat healthcare workers with respect and care instead of assaulting and threatening them because this might lead to compromised service delivery as people fear for their lives,” she said.
The MEC called on the police to leave no stone unturned in bringing the three men to justice.
