The Health Workers Union of Zambia (HWUZ) is saddened with the recent assault of a nurse at Kitwe Central Hospital (KCH) by a parent who had taken his child to the hospital for medical care.

On Tuesday, a parent who had taken his child for medical attention assaulted Catherine Nkombo, a nurse at KCH after the patient died. HWUZ general secretary, Lewis Mukosha described the assault of the member as a sad state of affairs.

"It is very sad when some members of the public should be venting their anger on nurses who already are working under difficult circumstances," he said. Mr Mukosha said the reason people go to hospital to seek medical attention is because of their belief in being saved and not to be killed.

But in an eventuality that a patient dies, he said, people should understand that even medical personnel don't take pleasure in that because their interest is to save life. Mr Mukosha said the union and the nursing fraternity in particular was saddened with the conduct of the man who failed to control his temper and descended on the nurse.

He said the nurses thought of holding a demonstration yesterday in protest against the beating of one of their members but had to be restrained by the union.

"This is a criminal offence as such we are calling on police to seriously work on the matter and ensure that the man behind the assaulting of our member is prosecuted so that this can serve as a deterrent," he said.

Kitwe District police chief, Nelson Phiri told the Times yesterday that the involved man had since been arrested and was only released on bond.

Meanwhile, Mr Mukosha expressed concern at the trend by some prison warders who leave convicts admitted at hospital unmanned. He said the union was aware that in certain situations convict taken to hospital were being left unmanned by the prison warders.

Mr Mukosha said this posed a serious danger on medical personnel as some convicts were hardcore criminals who normally form curtails with their friends.