Mazabuka hospital nurses castigated

By ALEX NJOVU
THE Health Workers Union of Zambia (HWUZ) has described as criminal the behaviour by the nurses who allegedly abandoned a 52-year -old bed-ridden patient whom they locked up in an isolation room for five days without attending to him at Mazabuka District Hospital.
The patient has since died.

HWUZ general secretary Lewis Mukosha said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday that Government must deal with the workers involved.
“This is criminal and it must be treated like that. It is inhuman and unethical, we condemn it in the strongest terms and we believe that action must be taken on the culprits,” Mr Mukosha said.
Mr Mukosha warned health workers against tarnishing the image of the union.
He said it is difficult to understand why the health workers allegedly ganged up and locked up the patient in an isolation room for five days without attending to him.
Mr Mukosha said HWUZ is disturbed by the behaviour of its members and hopes that action will be taken against the erring workers.
He said HWUZ will not allow its members to frustrate government’s efforts to improve the health service delivery.
“We are all working closely with government to ensure that we take health services closer to the people, but to hear that some health workers who are supposed to protect patients are doing the opposite, and it is discouraging.
“You cannot lock up a bed-ridden patient in an isolation room for five days without attending to that person, this is criminal and we demand justice,” Mr Mukosha said.
He urged Government to investigate the matter and ensure that erring workers are dealt with.
Pressure has continued to mount on the Mazabuka District Hospital management to be transferred to other districts for failing to justify why health workers at the institution allegedly abandoned a 52-year-old patient who was admitted to the hospital and later