Three men were arrested in possession of dagga at the Jose Pearson tuberculosis (TB) hospital in Port Elizabeth, the Department of Health said on Tuesday.
Spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said security guards had stopped the men — who claimed to be patients’ relatives — at the gate and searched them at 9am.
”They claimed to be relatives of the patients. The security personnel searched them and found dagga in their possession. The dagga was combined with a white powder suspected to be cocaine,” he said.
He urged the community and relatives of the patients to refrain from supplying patients with drugs.
”They are at the hospital to be treated. This is endangering their lives,” said Kupelo.
He commended security officers for their ”good work” in exposing the unruly elements behind the disruptions at the hospital.
Kupelo also rejected media reports over the weekend that one of the patients had died because of a shortage of oxygen.
”Those suggestions were made by those who want to paint a wrong picture of the hospital and the Department of Health,” he said. — Sapa