TB patient says she was raped in hospital

A 50-year-old female patient admitted to the tuberculosis unit of the Katutura State Hospital was raped on the hospital premises.

The very ill and frail woman, who is confined to a wheelchair, has been at the hospital for the last month. On Monday afternoon the woman was sitting alone in the garden at the back of the hospital when the accused allegedly pushed her wheelchair behind some bushes and raped her.Later two other patients alerted hospital personnel about the incident.The Police Public Relations Unit confirmed the incident yesterday, saying the accused was a vagrant, known to wander around the hospital premises in search of food.Joseph Afrikaner (48) appeared in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, and remains in Police custody.The victim’s sister told The Namibian that the incident brought into question the hospital’s security and the care personnel took of their patients.”It is a terrible thing to happen in a hospital where there are nurses. This is really not good,” the victim’s sister said.She said it was inexcusable for a hospital patient to be violated in that manner considering that the accused must have passed security personnel stationed at the entrance to the unit.There is no other entrance to the back garden other than through the hospital wing itself.Approached for comment, Medical Superintendent of the Katutura State Hospital Helen Nkandi-Shiimi said she had been out of office and had not yet received the matron’s report on the incident.On Monday afternoon the woman was sitting alone in the garden at the back of the hospital when the accused allegedly pushed her wheelchair behind some bushes and raped her.Later two other patients alerted hospital personnel about the incident.The Police Public Relations Unit confirmed the incident yesterday, saying the accused was a vagrant, known to wander around the hospital premises in search of food.Joseph Afrikaner (48) appeared in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, and remains in Police custody.The victim’s sister told The Namibian that the incident brought into question the hospital’s security and the care personnel took of their patients.”It is a terrible thing to happen in a hospital where there are nurses. This is really not good,” the victim’s sister said.She said it was inexcusable for a hospital patient to be violated in that manner considering that the accused must have passed security personnel stationed at the entrance to the unit.There is no other entrance to the back garden other than through the hospital wing itself.Approached for comment, Medical Superintendent of the Katutura State Hospital Helen Nkandi-Shiimi said she had been out of office and had not yet received the matron’s report on the incident.