On Friday the Treatment Action Campaign picketed outside Xurana clinic in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape. Photo: Sibahle Siqathule
1 March 2019
On Friday the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) picketed outside Xurana clinic in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape.
Patients have been complaining that they are insulted by staff and one nurse in particular whom they want removed. They accuse her of disclosing the HIV status of patients. Some community members say they even travel to clinics in neighbouring districts for medical attention. because of the unpleasant staff at Xurana.
Protesters included people from the villages of Xurana, Lubala, Galatyeni, Mfinizweni, Wobe, Nyembezini and Mdakeni. About 70 people participated.
“When I came here to do a pap smear I was insulted by a nurse. I was told that my private parts stink. She said this in front of other patients. This hurt me very much. This is the type of insensitivity we have to deal with here. We are not going to stand for this inhumane treatment any longer,” said a 35-year-old woman who did not wish to be named.
Another woman said, “We have a huge problem here at Xurana. My daughter fell ill and came here to get help. When she was tested we found that she was HIV-positive. Barely a day later her HIV status was the talk of the town.”
Mdumiseni Diko from the TAC said, “People are leaving this clinic in droves because of a few nurses who choose to mistreat and insult patients. This is putting a lot of patients’ lives in danger because at times they cannot afford to travel to faraway clinics to collect their medication. As a result they end up defaulting on their treatment. This would not happen if Xurana clinic was being run with a focus on its patients physical and emotional wellbeing.”
Operational manager of Xurana clinic Sister Ntombikayise Khutshwa declined to comment saying she would only be in a position to respond to the allegations in seven days time.