A nurse and a doctor have been admitted to the hospital after they were allegedly stabbed by a patient with a scissor at the Ngwelezane Hospital in Ngwelezane township outside eMpangeni in KwaZulu Natal on Thursday.

STABBED WITH SCISSOR

It is alleged that the doctor was doing his daily rounds together with a nurse when the incident occurred. Unauthorised officials who spoke to ZiMoja said that the patient was upset that he was not being discharged after being in hospital for weeks without being discharged. "The doctor and the nurse were about to change his surgical bandages as per procedure when he took the scissors that were meant to assist during the process. He stabbed the doctor and then the nurse. We all had to run for our lives, as he would not hear anyone asking him to stop," the official said. Another official said that the security heard screams, and they tried to charge towards the patient, but they were scared to get closer to him as he was wielding the scissors. We had to call the police on him, and all the patients and nurses were moved out of that ward until the cops came and arrested him," the official said. 

HE IS A PSYCHIATRIC PATIENT

Spokesperson for the KZN Department of Health, Ntokozo Maphisa, said they are deeply saddened and concerned by the incident involving two healthcare workers, a medical student and a professional nurse. "The healthcare workers were attacked by an alleged psychiatric male patient with a pair of scissors in the Emergency Medical Unit at the Ngwelezane Hospital. It is alleged that the 38-year-old attacker had been calm prior to the incident, until his mood suddenly changed. Both staff members sustained head and facial injuries, respectively, during the incident and had to receive medical care. They are currently in a stable condition," he said.

PATIENT ARRESTED

Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed that the patient was arrested by the eMpangeni police after the incident. Cases of assault with an intent to cause grievous bodily harm have been opened against the suspect. Meanwhile, Minister of Justice Thembi Simelane has slammed a convict who attacked court officials at the Mamelodi Magistrates Court on Thursday after he was convicted. Spokesperson Tsekiso Machike said preliminary reports indicate that the suspect, convicted of common robbery and damage to property, broke a bottle and attempted to stab both the prosecutor and stenographer immediately after the verdict was delivered. He is due to be sentenced on Monday.