Zimbabwe patient viral video sparks outrage over SA nurse conduct

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A Zimbabwe patient’s encounter with a South African nurse has sparked widespread debate and outrage after videos of the incident went viral on social media.

The footage, allegedly recorded at a medical facility in Midrand, shows the patient demanding a transfer letter to another doctor after reportedly not receiving adequate assistance.

Heated exchange over patient’s transfer letter

In the first part of the video, a nurse is seen speaking on the phone with a colleague, ostensibly to inquire about the transfer letter.

The colleague reportedly responds that she “never saw the patient.”

When the nurse relays this message, the patient adamantly counters, “Yes, she never saw me, she never attended me. I saw her, I saw her. She can just do it now, rather than sitting there, she can just do it now. Can you ask her to do it now?”

Blood pressure check dispute

The tension escalates as the patient’s camera pans to a second nurse, who is accused of neglecting to check the patient’s blood pressure.

In the exchange, the nurse claims, “I don’t check BP,” prompting the patient to ask, “What do you do?”

The nurse’s reply, “I sleep, move around, and eat a lot,” draws a sharp rebuke from the patient, who comments on the nurse’s weight: “That is why you are fat.”

Patient’s frustration and nurse’s defiance

The patient, growing frustrated, states, “They said she must write me a transfer. She is not… No, I came here what time? I can’t wait anymore. Write me a transfer, let me go to the doctor.”

The nurse, however, refuses, responding defiantly, “I won’t write you a transfer. Shout as much as you want, let everyone hear you. I won’t write you. Take a pic, here, sue me, post me, I will sue the f*** out of you.”

Public outcry and calls for accountability

The video has since ignited a firestorm of reactions online, with many expressing outrage at the nurses’ unprofessional behaviour.

Critics have called for accountability and urged health authorities to investigate the incident thoroughly.

Meanwhile, others argued that the patient was very rude.

Broader implications for healthcare

South Africa’s healthcare system has long faced scrutiny over allegations of poor treatment and strained resources, particularly for foreign nationals seeking medical care.

In 2022, the then Limpopo Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba stirred significant controversy when a video surfaced of her telling a woman that migrants from Zimbabwe placed a “huge strain” on the provincial healthcare system.

This latest incident has intensified debates about the quality of service and the treatment of non-citizens in the country’s healthcare facilities.