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- A clinical associate at an Eastern Cape hospital is on the run after allegedly raping a patient in a consultation room.
- The 39-year-old has been suspended by the Eastern Cape health department over the alleged attack.
- It is alleged that the medical practitioner locked himself and the 24-year-old victim in the consultation room of Mount Ayliff Hospital before raping her.
The Eastern Cape Department of Health has suspended a clinical associate after a patient claimed that she was attacked and raped in a consultation room at Mount Ayliff Hospital on Thursday.
The 39-year-old clinical associate is allegedly on the run.
It is alleged that during a consultation, the clinical associate locked the door of the room and raped the 24-year-old woman while nurses knocked on the door and tried to gain entry.
On Friday, the department said it decided to take action with immediate effect due to the seriousness of the allegations.
After the incident was reported, the hospital and district management responded swiftly to support the patient and followed all medical procedures for such incidents, the department said in a statement.
Eastern Cape Health MEC Nomakhosazana Meth said she was concerned that the alleged incident had happened on hospital premises and during the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, a campaign by government against gender-based violence.
The victim and her family have been provided with psycho-social support.
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Meth condemned the incident, saying it had happened at a facility where patients placed their trust in staff to protect both their health and privacy. Meth said she had instructed the head of the Department of Health to institute an urgent internal investigation into the allegations.
The department said it would cooperate with law enforcement agencies.
Eastern Cape police have, meanwhile, appealed to the public for help in tracing the healthcare worker.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Thembinkosi Kinana said police tracing teams were deployed in and around the Mount Ayliff area in search of the suspect.
"According to information, the woman had gone to the hospital for medical care in the company of a family member. When the nurse who allegedly worked with the doctor (clinical associate) left the ward to fetch a file, the woman remained with the doctor (clinical associate), who allegedly used the opportunity to rape the victim," Kinana added.
Kinana said after the incident, the victim reported the matter to a relative and the case was subsequently reported to the police.
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"Police detectives are currently investigating a case of rape. No arrest has been made at this stage as the suspect is still at large," said Kinana.
Eastern Cape police commissioner Lieutenant General Nomthetheleli Mene expressed shock at the incident.
Anyone with information on the suspect has been requested to contact the Mount Ayliff police station or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
