Gauteng health confirms 'Ethiopian' nurse has valid documents to be in SA

The Gauteng department of health has cautioned against the violation of patient and employee rights at healthcare facilities after the circulation of a video showing a nurse at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital being questioned about his personal information, including employment and nationality.

The department has confirmed that the nurse has been employed in the healthcare sector since 2011, holds permanent residency and has valid South African identification. 

In the video circulating on social media, the man is accused of being an Ethiopian working illegally in South Africa. He is quizzed about his name, where he is originally from and about the men he was walking with.

According to the department, in another related but different incident, a healthcare worker at Halfway House Clinic was body shamed and insulted by an angry patient who took photos and videos without her consent, which were shared on social media. 

“The department strongly cautions against this new form of intimidation which masks itself under the guise of 'so-called oversight' where staff are targeted. Often unverified information which distorts facts gets shared on social media platforms in a manner that seeks to incite the public. Not only are the rights of employees to discharge their duties in an environment free of threats and intimidation infringed upon, often the rights of patients to privacy and dignity are grossly violated,” department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said.

Modiba said the public must understand that oversight of public health facilities must be conducted under laws protecting patient privacy and the operational integrity of healthcare facilities. 

He said hospital authorities have the legal right to restrict access to facilities, as long as the restriction does not violate the public’s right to access health care, to protect patient confidentiality, privacy and operational integrity and employees. 

“While the public has the duty and the right to report malpractices that can undermine service delivery this must be done in a manner that does not infringe on the very services we seek to protect or by undermining the laws of the land.

“There are also various accountability institutions that have been established both in government and outside government which have the capacity to process concerns the public may have. If left unchecked this new form of intimidation will end up undermining the very checks and balances that have been provided for in our constitutional framework,” he said.

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