BREAKING NEWS – Woman gives birth at clinic gate, manager suspended

The Department of Health has reportedly suspended the operational manager at a deserted Ngwaabe Clinic in Sekhukhune district after a woman allegedly gave birth to a child at the gate of the facility in the early hours of yesterday (Wednesday).
It was learnt that this is the second incident at the same clinic in a space of ten days. Departmental Spokesperson Neil Shikwambana indicated that they were disappointed and embarrassed by what had transpired. He repeated that it was saddening that the incident happened while the department was still investigating the circumstances surrounding the first case. He further said the incident occurred despite the fact that the nursing staff recently signed a commitment in front of community members promising that they will be available to attend to cases of emergencies at night.
Shikwambana clarified that the clinic has nine midwives, three staff nurses and two assistant nurses but still on two occurrences, all of them were unavailable to assist these women on both occasions. It is against this background that the department has suspended with immediate effect the operational manager of Ngwaabe Clinic, he explained. He added that an interim operational manager has been appointed to resume duties with immediate effect.
“The department will not stand by and watch while people entrusted with the privilege to serve the downtrodden and vulnerable communities who have no other option outside the public health care system continue to fumble to the detriment of the lives of these community members. Equally, the department wishes to call upon individuals within organised labour to stop misleading health care professionals into neglecting their duties,” Shikwambana stressed.
He concluded by saying the department appreciates the role of unions as its social partners, however, employees must remember that they work for the department not the unions.

Story: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za