Cosmo City Fire Station medical technician is fired for denying medical care to a pregnant woman
It took two years and an investigation by the Joburg Ombudsman, but EMS finally released the medical technician of his duties.
A Cosmo City Fire Station staff member has been fired two years after he denied access to the premises and medical care for a woman who had given birth on her own in nearby bushes.
Joburg EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi confirmed the man was released from his duties after the Joburg Ombudsman investigated the matter and put pressure on the emergency services to take action.
“The matter was investigated further by our Ethics and Disciplinary Unit,” he said.
“Any member of the community can access any of our fire stations at any time. Fire stations, like many other government institutions, are known as community buildings and access to them should not be limited for no reason.”
Mulaudzi said firefighters and medical technicians were registered practitioners with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and were required to perform basic medical care when faced with an emergency.
“It is a challenge in some instances when members of the service do not have basic medical consumables. Having said so, it is not correct to chase anyone away when in distress and need of assistance.”
Ipeleng Mtwa of the Office of the Johannesburg Ombudsman explained that the medical technician was at fault for failing to check the pregnant woman’s vitals and failing to arrange transport for her to a hospital or clinic.
“Our office identified the violation of Section 27 of the Constitution, which stipulates that everyone has the right to have their inherent dignity respected and protected and have access to health care services including reproductive health care and no one may be refused emergency medical treatment, and immediately the incident was taken as an own instance investigation,” Mtwa said.
Although the victim did not want to be part of the process and refused to be a witness, the ombudsman’s investigations team was able to gather enough evidence from multiple interviews, forcing EMS management to institute an internal investigation.
“Their [EMS] findings were in support of the report from our office and the accused was subsequently served with a notice to appear in a disciplinary hearing in September 2021.
“After more than 18 months of several requests by the accused and his representative to postpone the hearing, the accused finally appeared in front of the disciplinary committee and though he pleaded not guilty, the insurmountable evidence resulted in the presiding officer issuing a guilty finding against him on November 30, 2022, and pronouncing a sanction of dismissal, closing and finalising the matter in January.”
Details: The Ombudsman of Johannesburg complaints@joburgombudsman.org.za; 010 288 2800.
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