The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in the North West has called on the provincial Department of Health to urgently address challenges of shortage of staff and intensify security personnel during the night shift at the province’s healthcare facilities. This after a male patient, who was admitted at the Mabeskraal Clinic outside Mogwase near Rustenburg, committed suicide at the Clinic.Speaking on YOU FM Newshour on Tuesday evening, DENOSA’S Provincial Chairperson Mziwakhe Seleke said that they’re saddened by the tragic incident that occurred in the early hours of Sunday.
“According to the report we received, a male patient arrived at the clinic at approximately 04:00am at the trauma unit of the clinic complaining of severe abdominal pain. The professional nurse on duty began the necessary clinical assessment and intervention. When the patient’s condition showed no signs of improvement, the decision was made to refer him to the nearest Moses Kotane Hospital which is a few kilometres away in Ledig, for more advanced care,” said Seleke.
According to Seleke, while the nurse stepped out briefly to collect a referral letter as part of the transfer process, the patient tragically took his own life using his belt within the clinic premises. The patient was found hanging behind the nursing quarters by the security officer who was on duty at the time.
“This happened while the remaining clinical staff, a second professional nurse and an Enrolled Nursing Assistant, were attending to a maternity case in another section of the facility. One security officer was also on duty at the time,” explained Seleke. The organisation said that the incident exposes several critical issues that require urgent attention in the province’s health sector.
“The tragic loss of life points to a broader mental health challenge in our communities. Primary healthcare facilities need to be better equipped to identify and manage mental health emergencies, particularly during after-hours service. Secondly, with only two professional nurses, one assistant, and one security officer on duty during the night, the staffing levels at Mabeskraal Clinic were not adequate to manage multiple patients across departments safely. This places both patients and healthcare workers at risk, so there’s an urgent need to review and strengthen clinic security protocols, especially during night shifts, to ensure a safer environment for all,” highlighted the chairperson.In addition, Seleke said the organization acknowledges and supports the legal and procedural investigations that may follow such an incident, as accountability is an essential component in building public trust.
“We, however, must emphasise the urgent need to prioritise the emotional and psychological well-being of the healthcare workers involved. DENOSA calls on the North West Department of Health to activate the Employee Assistance Programme without delay, and to ensure that affected staff are offered professional trauma counselling and psychosocial support,” requested Seleke.
