The absence of forensic nurses in the districts has a knock-on effect on crime and must be urgently addressed by the Northern Cape Health Department to help combat sexual violence in the province.

The latest crime statistics between April and June 2022 showed an 11% increase in rape cases in the Northern Cape, compared to the same period under review last year.

While there is pressure on SAPS to increase boots on the ground, government is overlooking the need to simultaneously increase capacity in the health sector, which plays a fundamental role in the examination of victims and the actual collection of DNA evidence, as well as meeting the health care needs of victims of sexual assault.

I first raised this matter in 2015, when there was only one Professional Nurse in the entire province who had a Forensic Nursing Diploma. It is concerning that seven years later, the situation remains inadequate.

The latest available data shows that no dedicated health professionals were assigned to the De Aar and Kuruman Thuthuzela centres during April and June this year. It was also previously reported that on site doctors at the Kuruman Thuthuzela centre refused to perform examinations at the centres.

The lack of availability of forensically trained health professionals at Kakamas hospital has also been a problem. There was even a case in the ZF Mcgawu district where a sexual assault victim could not be attended to due to the shortage of available trained practitioners in Clinical Forensics.

In addition, the health department is failing to ensure sustainable stock levels of the essentials necessary in the management of victims, including comfort packs.

The situation must be urgently addressed.

Forensic nurses play a critical role in the proper collection and storage of DNA evidence, which often forms the cornerstone of criminal convictions. A dire lack of properly qualified forensic nurses therefore creates an environment in which sexual offenders can escape conviction, in turn denying victims justice.

The DA has submitted parliamentary questions to determine the allocation of forensic nurses to facilities across the province, in addition to stock levels of essentials required in the management of sexual assault victims.

It is time that the Health Department is also held accountable for its crucial role in catching sexual offenders.

 

Issued by Dr Isak Fritz, MPL - DA Spokesperson of Health