Public hospitals in South Africa are doing inhumane acts happening behind the curtains. Recently there has been an exposure to professional and nonprofessional medical assistants involved in unethical procedures in hospitals. Women are subject to forced sterilization which is unlawful according to the South African constitution. Young girls’ dreams are dead due to this act of coercive sterilization since they cannot have normal marriages. Victims of HIV/aids mostly affected since they go through a lot of stigmatization. The commission of gender equality of South Africa is deeply hurt.
HIV/AIDS Status In South Africa, Social Beliefs And Public Hospitals Drama
South Africa is the leading country with people infected with the virus that causes AIDS. Its rate is at 13% with a population of 7.7 million living with it. These people undergo heavy stigmatization from people not infected.
A recent report from the commission of gender equality shows how these doctors and nurses take advantage by misleading them in signing forms they cannot understand. They create a bad perception to the women that they should not get children and if they do, they will die following a delivery.
One of the reports shows how a nurse treats one of the pregnant women in the hospital who comes to deliver a baby. Here is what the nurse says
“You HIV people don’t ask questions when you make babies. Why are you asking questions now?”
the report quoted the nurse as saying.
“You must be closed up because you HIV people like making babies and it just annoys us. Just sign the forms, so you can go to the theater.”
Kwazulu-Natal Region With A Case From Nkandla Hospital
This region have most cases concerning coercive sterilization. One of the women (MS. A) went to Nkandla hospital way back in September 2011 for antenatal care. They booked for a C-section operation for the woman.
Without her consent, she was deceived into signing some forms by the medical attendants. She was threatened that she will not receive help if she refuses to sign the forms. One of the nurses commented on here about the number of children she had and that she might die had she not been sterilized.
Delivery Of Justice And Upholding Women’s Rights
Mathebula, the acting chairperson for CGE, is up to the task to end this inhumane act since it seems to have spread countrywide.
With the help of the Health Professions Council of South Africa, a violation against women’s rights and discrimination must stop. The HPCSA can investigate the ethics concerning medical professionals.
The national department of health expects to look into the consent signed by the complainants. By doing so they will be able to judge if those forms met the necessary qualifications.
