By Montsho Matlala
Tzaneen: The Democratic Nursing Organisation inLimpopo has expressed shock after a professional nurse was arrested on Thursday night for allegedly stealing huge consignment of medicines from a clinic where she works near Tzaneen.
The nurse was caught by private security guards at Dr Hugo Clinic in Nwamitwa area outside Tzaneenin Mopani district who searched her vehicle, Limpopo department of health confirmed today (Friday).
“The professional nurse was found in possession ofmedicines allegedly stolen from the clinic all most full in her car boot last night (Thursday). The department acknowledges the vigilance of the clinic’s security officers whose quick response led to the discovery of the medication in the nurse’s vehicle,” said provincial health department spokesperson Neils Shikwambana.
Jacob Molepo, DENOSA’s provincial secretary inLimpopo has described the incident, “if indeed true”as sickening considering the acute shortage of medicines in most health facilities in the province.
“We however caution against passing any judgementat this stage as we allow various law enforcementagencies to carry out their professional investigationsinto this matter. The principle of innocence until found guilty should also be considered,” Molepo told Timeless News.
Dr Hugo Clinic had been under surveillance by the department and other security agents for some time when shortages of medicines started to become almost regular. Suddenly consistent medicinestockouts and rapid depletion of medical suppliersstarted to occur regularly not corresponding withconsumption rate of the facility’s patients, Timeless News has learnt from various sources.
“A professional nurse implicated here should clear her name in court. It is even more frighteningbecause she is one of the senior nurses at our clinic. I just hope and pray the allegations against her are false”, said the clinic user who prefers to remain anonymous.
Police have not responded to our queries regardingthe whereabouts of the suspect at the time of going to print.
Limpopo Health MEC, Dieketseng Mashego has expressed grave concern about some healthcare workers exploiting their trusted position to pilfermedications.
“This behaviour undermines the integrity of the department and the public’s trust in its services”, Mashego lamented.
Informants have told Timeless News some health workers steal medical suppliers from public health institutions to sell or deliver to their cronies who had resigned from public health services to run ownprivate healthcare clinics.
This is despite public health facilities in Limpopo and South Africa at large facing acute shortages andmedicine stockouts in the face of thousands of patients, some from neighbouring countries crowdingclinics and hospitals to seek health care.
In some instances police have intercepted attempted smuggling of consignments of medicines from South Africa’s public health facilities to outside countries at ports of entry.
