Doctor badly injured by CMH patient

PROMINENT Eastern Cape physician Dr Siyolo Solombela was assaulted by a patient, who is believed to be mentally ill, on Saturday morning.

The attack, which left the doctor with severe injuries, occurred in the general ward at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital (CMH) in Mdantsane.

Solombela, 70, was rushed to Life St Dominic’s Hospital in Southernwood, where he is still being treated.

The Daily Dispatch was unable to obtain information on his condition from the hospital.

The Eastern Cape health department yesterday confirmed the attack, adding that the patient at Cecilia Makiwane had unexpectedly become violent.

A witness, Sipho Mkwayi, said the assault took place shortly after 8am when Solombela entered the ward to check on his patients. Mkwayi said the psychiatric patient should not have been in the general ward.

“Dr Solombela was busy doing his rounds. When this [assault] happened the hospital staff and other patients fled the ward, leaving the doctor behind. There was no security at the time. I was there to visit a patient … The doctor was very badly [injured] after that,” Mkwayi said.

“I know the doctor personally as he was involved in the liberation struggle. The psychiatric patient did not only pose a danger to hospital staff but also to other patients and their visitors,” Mkwayi said.

He decided to speak to the Dispatch to highlight the conditions faced by doctors and nurses in public hospitals.

Health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the attack occurred while the patient was being observed within a 72-hour timeframe to determine whether he was mentally ill or not.

“The hospital has security and it is intended to protect everyone from criminals and provide safety to both health professionals and members of the public. Our human-rights culture demands that psychiatric patients are afforded all the rights of other patients; [however] their mental condition makes it more difficult to manage [them].

“Unfortunately some of them, not all, suddenly and unexpectedly turn violent and assault and injure a person without notice, and this was the case at CMH,” Kupelo said.

Mkwayi said security to oversee patients being observed for 72 hours should be provided. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za