This is according to the Health MEC Montsheng Tsiu. 

Tabling her budget for the 2019/20 fiscal year in the provincial legislature, Tsiu confirmed that the department will be allocating resources to beef up security at a number of facilities. This, after an attempted rape incident and an armed robbery at the Pelonomi Hospital last month raised questions about the safety of medical personnel and patients at healthcare facilities in the province. 

In the first incident, a 24-year-old doctor bit off a man’s tongue as he allegedly attempted to rape her while she was in one of the overnight staff quarters on the night of 4 June, while the second incident where a 44-year-old female doctor was robbed at gunpoint by four armed men was reported just days after that. 

Tsiu has vowed to pay more attention to security challenges and improve the overall state of the healthcare system in the province. She told the House the two incidents were a bitter pill to swallow and that the department is working around the clock to implement immediate and medium-term plans.

These include beefed-up security, more CCTV cameras, fixed security locks and limited access control to the premises.

Members of the South African Police Service and private securities have also been roped in.

Tsiu alluded that talks on other measures that need to be taken to tighten up security are still underway.

She further expressed gratitude to all stakeholders who have thus far lent a hand.

OFM News