The mistreatment of patients by “disrespectful” nurses in rural clinics in and around the O R Tambo district in the Eastern Cape was among some of the issues raised by participants during the last day of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians gender advocacy dialogue in Mthatha on Wednesday.
59-year-old Noluntu Mpusu‚ an elderly woman from Qumbu‚ said she had once been scolded by a nurse at a local clinic in the area when suffering from a terrible headache.
“It was just after 2pm and the nurse was furious asking why I had fallen sick so late in the day. My response was that I couldn’t have known that I was to suffer from a headache on that particular day and therefore had no way of knowing when to get sick‚” she told a crowd of more than 100 people who attended the dialogue.
She said many rural women in particular who flocked to clinics near their villages were often verbally abused by rowdy and disrespectful nurses.
“They forget we were once young and beautiful. We wish government can do something about that.”
Meanwhile‚ Imbumba Yamakhosikazi Akomkhulu president Queen MaDosini Ndamase said rural women were also victimised when going to report cases of abuse and sexual assault at police stations because there were no private consulting rooms.
“In the end‚ they just opt not to report crimes committed against them because when they go to the police stations‚ they have to say whatever they have to say in front of everyone.”
Eastern Cape Premier Phumulo Masualle was billed to address the event but was unable to attend.
Nurses under fire for mistreating patients at rural clinics
The mistreatment of patients by “disrespectful” nurses in rural clinics in and around the O R Tambo district in the Eastern Cape was among some of the issues raised by participants during the last day of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians gender advocacy dialogue in Mthatha on Wednesday.
59-year-old Noluntu Mpusu‚ an elderly woman from Qumbu‚ said she had once been scolded by a nurse at a local clinic in the area when suffering from a terrible headache.
“It was just after 2pm and the nurse was furious asking why I had fallen sick so late in the day. My response was that I couldn’t have known that I was to suffer from a headache on that particular day and therefore had no way of knowing when to get sick‚” she told a crowd of more than 100 people who attended the dialogue.
She said many rural women in particular who flocked to clinics near their villages were often verbally abused by rowdy and disrespectful nurses.
“They forget we were once young and beautiful. We wish government can do something about that.”
Meanwhile‚ Imbumba Yamakhosikazi Akomkhulu president Queen MaDosini Ndamase said rural women were also victimised when going to report cases of abuse and sexual assault at police stations because there were no private consulting rooms.
“In the end‚ they just opt not to report crimes committed against them because when they go to the police stations‚ they have to say whatever they have to say in front of everyone.”
Eastern Cape Premier Phumulo Masualle was billed to address the event but was unable to attend.