Mpumalanga Health concerned by attacks on staff, ambulance
Mpumalanga health authorities have decried the attacks healthcare workers after a paramedic was shot during a hijacking on Sunday.
Health MEC Sasekani Manzini visited the Phola community health centre, Nsikazi, near Kabokweni, after an ambulance was hijacked from the clinic premises in the early hours of Sunday morning.
“The Emergency Management Personnel were confronted by three criminals after returning to their station (Phola Nsikazi Clinic) from a call out. Two hijackers held up the security personnel at gunpoint, took their personal belongings, and security equipment such as handcuffs, and the third hijacker forcefully took the ambulance inside the Clinic premises with the paramedics on board,” said health spokesperson Dumisani Malamule.
He said a male paramedic was shot in the leg, and then left at the clinic gate, when he tried to escape.
The assailants drove off with the two female paramedics in the vehicle, but the pair managed to flee.
“The ambulance was found with minor damages on the cabin, where they were searching for the tracker system,” added Malamule.
SECURITY ISSUES RAISED IN THE PAST
According to the health MEC staff at the facility had previously raised concerns over security, which resulted in the department putting up palisade fencing and other security measures.
“We installed a security gate plus a boom gate, turnstile, and (CCTV) cameras. We are very disturbed that one of the paramedics was shot and is currently admitted to hospital. We wish him a speedy recovery."
MEC Manzini called on the community structures such as ward councillors and the clinic committee to join forces with the police to protect health staff and government property.
"Health facilities are built to provide healthcare services to the communities not to fight criminals. People must refrain from attacking health officials and stealing the little scarce resources we are having for their own barbaric interest,” Manzini said.
Meanwhile, it’s reported a group of people who were injured in a tavern fight vandalised the Carolina Hospital, where they had been taken to receive medical attention after one of them died from his injuries.
The group also attacked and robbed hospital staff.
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