The nurse identified as Sibonginkosi Jacoline Dube was
subsequently dropped from the training programme.
Dube through her lawyer Jabulani Mhlanga of the Zimbabwe
Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) wants the hospital to reinstate her citing the
decision as grossly unfair.
“Dube had advised that on the day the pregnancy test was
taken, a certain Ms. S Moyo had informed the group of nursing trainees of a
“mix-up” in the test results conducted at a UBH laboratory,” Mhlanga wrote to
UBH chief executive officer Dr Narcisius Dzvanga.
Mhlanga said after receiving the pregnancy results Dube
conducted a self-test which came out negative and she informed officials at UBH
of this development.
“She also undertook further testing at Mpilo Central
Hospital and the results were negative. But despite the outcome of the second
set of the pregnancy test results and numerous engagements with some UBH
officials as well as some officials from the Ministry of Health and Child Care,
Dube has not been reinstated to continue with the nurse training programme,”
said Mhlanga.
ZHLR said the decision taken by UBH to keep Dube out of the
training programme was grossly unreasonable and unfair and in violation of section
68 of the Constitution, which provides for the right to administrative justice
and also in violation of section 3 of the Administrative Justice Act.
Mhalnga said UBH’s policy is contrary to the national
objectives of the Constitution in particular section 17 which provides that the
State must promote the full participation of women in all spheres of the
Zimbabwean society on the basis of equality with men.
“Furthermore, section 56 of the Constitution affords women
to enjoy the right to equal treatment including the right to equal
opportunities in political, economic, cultural and social spheres and prohibits
unfair treatment or discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy.”
UBH has also been urged to urgently align its policy to the
provisions of the Constitution.
Mhlanga added that if UBH fails to respond favourably to
Dube’s request, they will institute legal proceedings against the state-run
hospital to assert and protect her rights. Cite.org.zw
0 comments:
Post a Comment