Bhisho – A 35-year-old female guard has died after sustaining head injuries from the heavy-duty gate at the Gqeberha Tertiary Hospital in the Eastern Cape.
Commenting on the tragedy, Eastern Cape Health MEC Ntandokazi Capa said she has “learned with shock about a tragic incident that claimed the life of a security guard at Livingstone Hospital”.
Livingstone Hospital is a large provincial government-funded tertiary hospital that forms part of the Gqeberha Hospital Complex.
MEC Capa said the 35-year-old female guard was working for a private security company providing security services at the Gqeberha Tertiary Hospital.
“After sustaining head injuries from the heavy-duty gate, the guard was promptly rushed to the emergency care unit, where resuscitation attempts failed,” MEC Capa said.
Following the incident, the MEC said she ordered that an investigation be launched to ascertain the circumstances that led to the freak accident.
The investigation will also look at remedial action that will ensure such accidents are curbed.
“We send our heartfelt condolences to the family of the security guard and her friends and colleagues,” MEC Capa said.
“The safety of the hospital community including our patients and workers is always a priority, so it is always sad when we lose someone in such a tragic manner,” she said.
Police and the Department of Labour have also been alerted to the incident.
“Safety and security in our health facility remains a critical element as we deal with thousands of patients and relatives who visit our facilities to receive life-saving public health care sometimes under emergency conditions,” the MEC said.
