News24 reports that a patient has been arrested for allegedly stabbing two female doctors and a patient at the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital in Kimberley, Northern Cape. The incident occurred at the hospital's casualty unit.

A police spokesperson said the three were stabbed on Friday at around 20.30. The patient was later arrested and will soon appear in the Kimberley Magistrate's Court on three charges of attempted murder. The acting Head of Department of Health in the Northern Cape Riaan Strydom visited the hospital on Sunday night to meet the staff on duty. According to a preliminary report, a known male patient prone to substance abuse had an epileptic fit, whilst being treated at the Casualty section. The patient became verbally aggressive towards the staff, resulting in the stabbing of the two female doctors and a patient. Security officers suppressed the aggressive patient and doctors administered sedation. The two medical doctors are reportedly recovering well. The department said it would conduct safety and security assessments at all health facilities and would install additional metal detectors at 24-hour health facilities admitting high risk aggressive patients. The SA Medical Association (SAMA) condemned the stabbing, saying it was yet another example of where public hospitals in the country were “failing to adequately protect staff”.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jeanette Chabalala at News24

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