Question NW192 to the Minister of Health
29 February 2024 - NW192
Chirwa, Ms NN to ask the Minister of Health
In light of how Rahima Moosa Hospital is constantly targeted by criminality to the extent that the Gauteng Department of Health calls for heightened policing of the facility, (a) what has been the security capacitation efforts of the facility, (b) how does he plan to address the violent incidents that place the lives of patients, healthcare workers and the surrounding community members at risk in and around public healthcare facilities and (c) what are the innovative means his department has employed to deal with security threats in public healthcare facilities?
Reply:
a) According to Gauteng Department of Health,
- South African Police Services (SAPS) has been alerted of the incident and the Department has also requested regular patrols along the hospital boundaries.
- Hospital security is also patrolling an additional 50 metre radius outside the hospital gates especially during shift changes.
- The local community policing forum has also been involved to assist with pro-active policing and community patrols in the hospital vicinity
b) The Local Community Policing Forum has been involved to assist with proactive policing and community patrols in the vicinity of the hospital.
c) The hospital management is investigating the costs of setting up a mobile police unit outside the main gate of the hospital. The hospital is also engaging companies on modern access and key control system. The hospital has CCTV cameras in strategic places inside and outside the hospital, to ensure that staff and patients’ privacy is not compromised.
END.