The Health Department will investigate allegations that women living with HIV were coerced to undergo involuntary sterilisation, reports News24. Last month, the Commission for Gender Equality released a report on the practice after an investigation that was prompted by a complaint it received in 2015. The commission had sampled 15 hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, where most complaints were lodged.
The report says answering questions in the National Assembly, Deputy Health Minister Joe Paahla said it was extremely disturbing. He said the department had no policy or guidelines for the sterilisation of HIV-positive women. Paahla said the department had received the commission's report and requested its legal department to investigate the matter.
The report said the department will also establish a panel of experts to investigate forced sterilisation and will look beyond just Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. Paahla asked the affected women to come forward. "Where there have been transgressions, we'll take appropriate steps." He said, thus far, the commission had not provided the department with clear information about the affected women.
[link url="https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/health-dept-to-investigate-forced-sterilisations-of-women-living-with-hiv-20200311"]Full News24 report[/link]
[link url="http://www.cge.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Forced-Sterilisation-Report.pdf"]CGE report[/link]