Durban — The KwaZulu-Natal portfolio committee on health will on Friday conduct an urgent oversight visit after a patient allegedly committed suicide in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
The committee will conduct an urgent oversight visit following a report of a patient believed to have committed suicide in the Jozini dam.
It is alleged that the patient went missing while waiting for an ambulance at a clinic. This triggered the community to protest and made threats to vandalise the clinic.
Committee chairperson Nomakiki Majola said: “We received a letter from the family member stating their concern at the threat of the closure of the clinic by the community, and the family seeks our intervention as a committee. We are therefore meeting with all the stakeholders to receive a report from the clinic, and the family as well.”
“Depending on the nature of the report, the committee will decide on the resolutions to address the situation and if there was negligence on anyone, consequence management must be carried out by the department.”
Majola said that thanked the family for their concern at the interruption of health services due to protest, despite their loss.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health has been approached for comment.
Meanwhile, on Friday, December 9, in Dannhauser, northern KZN, health MEC Nomagugu Simelane is expected to host a debriefing session for Emergency Medical Services and Forensic Pathology Services staff who stood firm and did their very best despite the harrowing effects of disasters such as the deadly Covid-19 pandemic; incidents of mass looting and destruction to property in July 2021 which resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives; flooding; as well as numerous fatal road crashes involving trucks.
Daily News