Five Gauteng hospitals implicated in forced sterilisation

Issued by Jack Bloom MPL – DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC
25 Feb 2020 in Press Statements

I am horrified by the report that HIV positive women have been sterilised without their knowledge in a number of Gauteng public hospitals.

According to the Gender Equality Commission, the following five Gauteng hospitals have been implicated:

  • Edenvale Hospital
  • Tembisa Hospital
  • Leratong Hospital
  • Far East Hospital
  • Tambo Memorial Hospital

The report indicates that women who were pregnant and found to be HIV positive were coerced into being sterilised.

Some women related that they were forced to sign a consent form while in labour.

Others were told that because they were HIV positive they should not ask questions about what was done to them.

More cases may come to light and the ethical lapses could be as serious as the Life Esidemini tragedy.

The Gauteng Health Department needs to investigate this and ensure that there is accountability so that this never happens again.