A 30-year-old man who lost a piece of his tongue – allegedly when attacking a young female University of Free State medical intern at the Pelenomi Hospital in Bloemfontein – has been declared a state patient to be treated in a psychiatric hospital.
Volksblad reports that Bloemfontein Regional Court Magistrate Rasheed Matthews considered the psychiatric evaluation of the Welkom man before concluding that he is schizophrenics and he was not accountable at the time of the offence. He will be held at the medical division of the Grootvlei prison until a bed becomes available at the Free State Psychiatric Complex in Bloemfontein.
During his evaluation, it was concluded he could not distinguish between right and wrong when, posing as a patient, he entered the doctors’ rooms on 4 June last year. A 24-year-old intern was overpowered and the accused tried to kiss her.
Following the incident, the University of the Free State medical school briefly withdrew interns over security fears at Pelonomi Hospital. The SA Medical Association said it was “greatly concerned and dismayed” at the frequency of assaults on health-care practitioners at public institutions, including a doctor being stabbed to death.
[link url="https://www.netwerk24.com/Nuus/Hof/pelonomi-aanvaller-nou-staatspasient-20190926"]Volksblad report (subscription needed)[/link]
See also
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/attacks-doctors-highlight-security-dangers-state-hospitals/"]Attacks on doctors highlight security dangers in state hospitals[/link]