Child rape victims allegedly denied treatment after 10 pm

26 January 2016

I am concerned by a report by the North Eastern Tribune that a trauma counsellor who took a child abuse case to the Hillbrow Clinic in December last year was presented with a letter stating that child rape victims who appear at the clinic after 10pm will only be examined in the morning.

The letter was date-stamped 26 March 2013 from the Department of Health, the Office of the Clinical Manager, Johannesburg Health District.

It reads: "After lectures and training by Dr Neil McKerrow (November 2011) – a leading Paediatrician in South Africa and working for KZN Health Department. It was noted that the time we examine children especially query rape, the child is tired and it is long past their bedtime, the chances of finding anything is nil due to the child’s irritability … when children come after 10pm, it is better to let them sleep in the clinic and examine them in the morning. Do not turn them away but explain to the parent or policeman that they will be examined, but later.”

This is an opinion that should not be used as an unjustifiable blanket  directive not to provide any immediate treatment that may be needed by child victims.

I have written to Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu to investigate this matter and ensure a policy of 24-hour availability of treatment for child rape victims.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 26 January 2016