By SIKHO NTSHOBANE
Scores of patients, particularly women in the OR Tambo district, are often on the receiving end of verbal abuse from nurses when they go to clinics in rural areas.
This came to light during debates on the last day of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) gender advocacy dialogue in Mthatha yesterday.
More than 100 participants, among them representatives from women’s support centres, attended the two-day event aimed at identifying challenges facing women in the country.
Participants were stunned when an elderly Qumbu woman, Noluntu Mpusu, narrated how she had been a victim of abuse at the hands of a nurse recently.
She had arrived at the clinic after 2pm to get help for an excruciating headache.
“The nurse was so furious and asked why I didn’t get sick in the morning. My response was that there was no way I could have known that I would be sick to begin with,” said the 59-year-old.
Mpusu was unable to get the nurse’s name as she was not wearing her nametag.
She said she felt disrespected.
Imbumba Yamakhosikazi Akomkhulu president Queen MaDosini Ndamase said she had been inundated with complaints about lack of privacy in local clinics.
“Everything is done in public and there is no confidentiality. If you fetch ARVs, you stand in a certain line and everyone else knows what you are there for.”
She said this meant women ended up defaulting on their treatment because they felt the stigma in their communities.
“There is no protection and no confidentiality between a nurse and patients. We believe the department of health should work to instill those values in our nurses again.”
Attempts to get a comment from the Eastern Cape department of health had all failed by deadline yesterday.
Queen Ndamase also claimed women were victimised when they tried to report gender-based violence in police stations, particularly in rural towns, as many did not have private consulting rooms.
“A woman who has been raped has to stand there in front of everyone and be interviewed in full view of everyone.”
During the opening day of the event, OR Tambo district mayor Nomakhosazana Meth had told the crowd that the practice of ukuthwala had re-emerged in some rural communities and unemployment, poverty and inequality increased the vulnerability of young girls to such ills.
Phumeza Mphushe, a CWP member, said they would take some of the issues raised by women during the dialogue to the relevant departments.
“We will also take them to our legal advisors to compile gaps in the laws relating to women’s rights so that they can be ammended.”— sikhon@dispatch.co.za
Patient abuse by nurses highlighted in dialogue
Scores of patients, particularly women in the OR Tambo district, are often on the receiving end of verbal abuse from nurses when they go to clinics in rural areas.
This came to light during debates on the last day of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) gender advocacy dialogue in Mthatha yesterday.
More than 100 participants, among them representatives from women’s support centres, attended the two-day event aimed at identifying challenges facing women in the country.
Participants were stunned when an elderly Qumbu woman, Noluntu Mpusu, narrated how she had been a victim of abuse at the hands of a nurse recently.
She had arrived at the clinic after 2pm to get help for an excruciating headache.
“The nurse was so furious and asked why I didn’t get sick in the morning. My response was that there was no way I could have known that I would be sick to begin with,” said the 59-year-old.
Mpusu was unable to get the nurse’s name as she was not wearing her nametag.
She said she felt disrespected.
Imbumba Yamakhosikazi Akomkhulu president Queen MaDosini Ndamase said she had been inundated with complaints about lack of privacy in local clinics.
“Everything is done in public and there is no confidentiality. If you fetch ARVs, you stand in a certain line and everyone else knows what you are there for.”
She said this meant women ended up defaulting on their treatment because they felt the stigma in their communities.
“There is no protection and no confidentiality between a nurse and patients. We believe the department of health should work to instill those values in our nurses again.”
Attempts to get a comment from the Eastern Cape department of health had all failed by deadline yesterday.
Queen Ndamase also claimed women were victimised when they tried to report gender-based violence in police stations, particularly in rural towns, as many did not have private consulting rooms.
“A woman who has been raped has to stand there in front of everyone and be interviewed in full view of everyone.”
During the opening day of the event, OR Tambo district mayor Nomakhosazana Meth had told the crowd that the practice of ukuthwala had re-emerged in some rural communities and unemployment, poverty and inequality increased the vulnerability of young girls to such ills.
Phumeza Mphushe, a CWP member, said they would take some of the issues raised by women during the dialogue to the relevant departments.
“We will also take them to our legal advisors to compile gaps in the laws relating to women’s rights so that they can be ammended.”— sikhon@dispatch.co.za
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