File image: A nurse with medical equipment.
Image Credits: Reuters
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) in the Free State has pledged its solidarity to three healthcare worker professionals who were allegedly attacked while on duty three months ago.
A patient, Molahlehi Takadimane allegedly attacked two nurses and a cleaner during a night shift in May at the Thabong District hospital in Odendaalsrus.
The accused, who is alleged to be a mentally challenged patient, appeared briefly in the Odendaalsrus Magistrate’s Court, before the matter was postponed to 26 August for further investigation.
Nehawu National Treasurer Kgomotso Makhupola has urged the Department of Health to take the incident seriously and provide the three affected employees with psycho-social support.
“As a union we are doing all we can to ensure that we assist the members with everything. We are saying the department must take accountability. This member has used her own finances to make sure she can go from one place to the another to get medical care. Yet the incident happened during working hours. So, the department must take all costs that the member has incurred during the incident.”
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