PATIENTS’ INFO NOT CONFIDENTIAL AT SOBHUZA CLINIC

MBABANE – Ethically, confidentiality is one of the core duties of medical practice.

It requires health care providers to keep a patient’s personal health information private unless consent to release the information is provided by the patient but same cannot be said by patients who go to seek medical assistance from King Sobhuza II Health Centre in Manzini.

The Times SUNDAY has discovered that it is easy for everyone at the clinic to learn who is suffering from either a sexually transmitted disease or skin diseases as the clinic staff just shout on top of their voices under the guise that they are showing the patients the right point of entry in order to to be attended to.

This sad incidence happens every day at the said clinic and in the process, the patients are exposed to stigmatisation as their sickness is disclosed to everyone.

The Times Sunday has learnt that each and every day, just after the morning prayer, which is often conducted at about 8am, one of the staff members then greets the patients before shouting the different kind of diseases they treat at the clinic and in the process discloses their health information as they direct them to the different points of entry where they will get assistance.

These include skin diseases, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS
The Times SUNDAY, after getting numerous complaints from concerned patients, visited the clinic and witnessed the sad scenario as it unfolded.
“May I urge those that have come for skin diseases examination, Sexually transmitted diseases, cold and flu and family planning assistance to remain here.

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