Police in Lakes State’s Rumbek East County are holding a clinical officer over the death of a 28-year-old woman after receiving a malaria medication in his private clinic at Maleng-agok Payam on Monday.
Police Spokesperson Maj Elijah Mabor Makuac told Radio Tamazuj that they were holding the private clinical officer at the Pan Barkou Village after the woman was rushed to the private clinic where she received an injection for malaria.
He said information indicated that the woman fell sick and was taken to a private clinic where she was tested and found to have malaria.
“She was injected but she died instantly. So, the medical personnel who was involved was arrested and the investigations were still going on to establish the cause of her death,” he said.
Makuac said the security situation in the state was fine despite the incident.
The Rumbek State Hospital Medical Director, Dr Terran Madit Terran, told the local people to be cautious while seeking advice from the private clinics and drug stores.
“Well, individual have a right to seek medical services wherever they want, but our worry is how to guarantee that a clinic or a drugs store is safe,” he said.
“We have government hospitals but we should also have the private ones so long as they are run by qualified personnel,” he added.
Terran told the local people to always ensure that the private medical practitioners offering those services were registered.
“We need to be treated by people who know what they are doing,” he said.
Terran said there was a rise in incidences of mis-diagnosis and complications after treatment by unqualified or untrained health personnel in the villages.
“Sometimes we may receive reports early enough and help the victims. I urge the people to go to government hospitals but if they must visit the private clinics, let them ensure they are dealing with qualified personnel.”