NEWS
Rape Forensic nurses for Gauteng, SA, 21 november 2003

Issued by the Department Of Health, Gauteng Provincial Government
21 November 2003

Gauteng health MEC for Gwen Ramokgopa has presented certificates of qualification to 19 forensic nurses on Friday at a function held in Johannesburg to celebrate their achievement.

This is a fulfillment of a promise Dr Ramokgopa made in her Budget Speech in June 2003, where she committed the department to train nurses in the nuances of forensic nursing particularly s sexual assault care by September this year.

The 19 Gauteng nurses, working in medico-legal settings, were trained by a pool of experts drawn from the department of health, the SA Police Service family violence, child protection and sexual offences Unit (FCS Unit), Gauteng Directorate of Public Prosecutions, the South African Human Rights Commission, Teddy Bear Clinic and the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation.

Among other traits that the nurses were trained in included to:

* Do no harm, show compassion, and do not blame the victim;

* Be attentive to possible signs and symptoms of abuse and follow up on these;

* Where feasible, routinely ask all women as part of routine history taking about their experiences with violence;

* Document all reported incidents of violence;

* Maintain confidentiality regarding patient information and records;

* Provide appropriate medical care;

* Refer patients to appropriate community resources

These nurses will, together with doctors assess and appropriately treat, and refer where necessary, all victims of sexual assault and domestic violence reporting at any of the medico-legal victim friendly centres were they are based.

According to MEC Ramokgopa "prevention of violence against women and children, especially sexual and domestic violence, is one of the main focus areas of government. To effectively reduce the impact of violence and trauma would mean developing a skilled labour force that will adequately respond and deliver a quality service".

The introduction of the provision of ARV's as PEP for victims of sexual assault further highlighted the need for training of health care workers, especially nurses, in the health management of sexual assault and domestic violence.

The scarcity of adequately trained medical practitioners makes it difficult to provide prompt and efficient services.

"The training of nurses is one way of improving the plight of victims of violence and abuse. This training is offered to develop a skilled labour force to effectively reduce the impact of violence and trauma. The training of nurses is not to supplant services rendered by doctors nor is it an attempt to over burden nurses with additional responsibilities. But, it is to bolster, complement and supplement these services and increase the pool of adequately trained personnel", Ramokgopa stressed.

The department view training of forensic nurses as forming part of the provincial government's 16 Days of Activism on No Violence Against Women and Children campaign, which will be launched on Tuesday, November 25 in Orange Farm on the south of Johannesburg.

For more information contact Popo Maja on (011) 355 3841 / 082 373 1169 or Simon Zwane on (011) 355 3543 / 082 551 9892

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