...accuse some of operating illegal clinics
Moroke Sekoboto
THE Lesotho Nursing Council (LNC) has warned nurses who are operating illegal clinics that they are putting lives of innocent people at risk.
The LNC told the Lesotho Times it had learned that some nurses were illegally operating private clinics. It had thus since commenced nationwide inspections of privately owned clinics to verify their compliance with the law.
The LNC is a statutory regulatory body established by the Nurses and Midwives Act 1998 to regulate nurses and midwives. It assumes responsibility for professional regulation through implementing sustainable and robust regulatory policies and practices.
LNC Registrar, Flavia Moetsana-Poka, said they had found many cases of illegal clinics operated by nurses without registration certificates and practicing licences.
Ms Moetsana-Poka said a recent case was that of Mpiti David Matṧela - a nursing assistant - whose two clinics they had successfully shut down through a court order.
Mr Matṧela was illegally operating Tṧepong Health Clinic in Ha Leqele and Khorong Health Clinic situated at Thaba-Bosiu. The nursing body had received reports of misconduct and malpractices at these facilities.
Justice Polo Banyane issued an order on 22 February 2024 for Mr Matṧela to close Tṧepong and Khorong clinics.
"The respondent (Matṧela) is prohibited in terms of the Public Health Order No. 12 of 1970 to operate a health facility ... interdicted from consulting patients ... directed to handover the licenses of both Tṧepong Health Clinic and Khorong Health Clinic at Thaba Bosiu," Justice Banyane ordered.
Ms Moetsana-Poka told this publication that Mr Matṧela was a nursing assistant who was not permitted in law to operate a clinic as he needed the supervision of a registered nurse due to his limited knowledge.
She said the High Court order came after several unsuccessful interactions between Mr Matṧela and the LNC dating back to 2015.
"The Professional Conduct Committee had ordered Mr Matṧela to surrender the registration certificates and practising licence back in 2015 but he refused.
"We then filed an application in 2017 which dragged in the Magistrates Court until it went to the High Court which eventually issued a judgement on 22 February 2024 that he must close operations of both Tṧepong Health Clinic at Ha Leqele and Khorong Health Clinic at Thaba-Bosiu," Ms Moetsana-Poka said.
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She said only a registered nurse with five years experience could operate a clinic.
She also said Mr Matṧela was interdicted from consulting patients as he was a nursing assistant and must operate under supervision so that he did not pose a threat to lives.
Ms Moetsana-Poka said she had since notified the public that both clinics were operating illegally and putting their lives at risks.
For his part, the LNC Legal Officer Phosholi Malebanye, said Nurses and Midwives Act No. 12 of 1998 Section 30 (1) conferred the LNC with the authority to prescribe requirements for registered persons who want to engage in private practice.
