… Nurses accused of misconduct and unethical care
Ntsoaki Motaung
Lesotho Nursing Council (LNC) has released a three-year report revealing multiple cases of unprofessional conduct in the country’s healthcare system, including a tragic case where a child was deprived of a normal life due to inadequate nursing care during labour.
Between 2021 and 2024, the report states, at least seven incidents of poor care in maternity wards were documented, implicating more than eight nurses, midwives, and nursing assistants.
In a press briefing on Wednesday this week, LNC Chairperson, Rejakile Fosa, spoke about the severity of these cases, emphasising one incident that left a lasting impact on an innocent child.
“In one case, a pregnant woman did not receive the needed care on time, which resulted in complications during labour,” Fosa said. “As a result of delayed care, the child was born with brain abnormalities. This has affected their development, meaning the child will require assistance for the rest of their life.”
This revelation reflects an alarming trend in negligent obstetric care across the country, which not only compromises maternal health but, in some cases, leads to tragic and irreversible outcomes for newborns.
One of the high-profile cases tied to this issue is that of Mamotšoane Tšephe, whose son, born eight years ago, has cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder affecting movement, posture, and balance.
Tšephe shared her heart-wrenching story during the Rare Disease Day event hosted by Botho University in Maseru last year.
“I was told my baby might delay in developing or might not walk or talk at all,” she recounted. “They said my child’s brain did not get enough oxygen during birth. I was supposed to be taken to the theatre, but that never happened. Today, my child still acts like a new-born.”
She continued: “Seven years later, my child cannot walk, talk, sit, or even hold his head up. He still wears nappies and requires specific types of food. This is the life my son has, all because those responsible for his birth did not act when they should have.”
The LNC report listed facilities where poor nursing practices were reported, including Little Flower Health Care, Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital (QMMH), Motebang Hospital, ‘Mamohau Hospital, Molika-liko Health Center, and Makoanyane Military Hospital.
Individuals implicated in these cases include Neo Rameno, Mamalibeng Ralenkoane, Tanki Masakale, Tebatso Ntšoane, Seipati Rametsi, Khosana Ranthako, Montšeng Makolojane, Nothekanthi May, and Masehloho Sehloho, as well as unnamed individuals involved in ongoing cases.
Alongside negligence in maternity care, the report highlighted cases of sexual misconduct. At Mabote Filter Clinic in 2021/2022, Tlali Kolobe was found guilty and permanently removed from the nursing register.
According to the case details, Kolobe assaulted a pregnant patient during an examination in an enclosed area, which prevented other staff from recognising the act immediately. The case came to light only after the patient reported the incident, leading to an investigation and disciplinary action.
In another case at Dilli-Dilli Health Centre in 2022/2023, Pholo Churchill Lepheana was found to have violated professional boundaries. Investigations revealed that Lepheana was in a romantic relationship with an individual prior to her becoming his patient.
However, he later found himself in a professional position, caring for her as she became his patient. The victim, who was pregnant at the time, was residing at a maternity waiting home in anticipation of her due date when the incident occurred.
Additional reports submitted to LNC include cases involving behaviour detrimental to the nursing profession, such as the use of vulgar language, breaches of confidentiality, patient privacy violations, criminal offences (fraud), unethical conduct, medical errors, practising outside the scope of practice, and forgery of educational certificates.
LNC registrar, Flavia Moetsana, expressed concern that these may not be the only cases in the country, as many incidents go unreported due to limited public awareness of patient rights and reporting channels.
Moetsana further reported that inspections of private clinics revealed several operating illegally. Among these were Rapha Clinic at Ha Tsolo, Bophelo Private Clinic at Ha Thetsane, Machache Pharmaceuticals at Ha Tsolo, and Total Care Medical Pharmacy at Ha Thetsane.
These facilities were often managed by Nursing Assistants practising outside their professional scope. For example, Bophelo Private Clinic’s license expired on March 9, 2022, and the owner lacked qualifications in medicine or nursing.
Additionally, Machache Pharmaceuticals was supervised by a second-year student on the inspection day, and Total Care Medical Pharmacy was managed by an unregistered Nursing Assistant.
