Pretoria - Free State health officials have put urgent measures in place to improve security at Pelonomi Hospital and other state facilities following the rape of a female doctor.
These measures include the deployment of 37 trained police reservists per shift to assist with implementing general security. Access as well as visiting hours to the hospital will be strictly controlled and adhered to.
Plans are also in place to manage the patient list and escorting of visitors to the wards, as well as replacing locks and general security maintenance, among others.
In addition, expert security assessors have been requested to do a comprehensive, independent and objective security analysis.
"We recognise the fact that these measures are universal and will in the near future also roll out to the Departmental Safety and Security Plan for Public Hospitals," Head of the Department of Health, Sipho Kabane, said.
Kabane said service at the hospital will continue as usual after the implementation of the security measures.
The female doctor was on duty at the Bloemfontein hospital when she was attacked by three suspects in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The 35-year-old was hit over the head with a brick and raped inside one of the wards. One of the suspects is a 16-year-old boy. The suspects have been arrested and have appeared in court.
