News / National
Drama as apostolic sect members seize injured driver from hospital
24 Apr 2019 at 07:28hrs | Views
There was drama at Marondera Provincial Hospital on Monday when Johane Marange apostolic sect members besieged the hospital and seized their member who was admitted at the institution following an accident that claimed 13 lives in Macheke.
The man, who was visibly in pain and swollen on the face, was the driver of the commuter omnibus ferrying some apostolic sect members from Mutare to Karimbika in Uzumba Maramba-PFungwe, when they were involved in a head-on collision with a Honda Fit.
The driver, who was wriggling in pain, had to be taken to his home area in Murambinda by some relatives and church members who were moving in a Toyota Wish.
They said their church belief does not allow their members to seek medical attention, but rather prayers.
The hospital staff had to discharge the driver, who was part of the 16 injured people admitted at the hospital.
Before he was removed from the hospital, the driver refused to be injected until his relatives came to fetch him, hospital staff confirmed.
The Johane Marange apostolic sect is known for prohibiting its members from seeking medical attention from hospitals, despite massive interventions by government to compel them to seek medical attention.
A few months ago, about five people, including a sect leader from the same church, died from cholera in Murewa.
The sect leaders barred health officials from accessing the shrine following the outbreak that left many others hospitalised.
It took the anti-riot police, government officials and non-governmental organisations to disperse the worshippers at the shrine in a bid to stop the further spread of the deadly disease.
The man, who was visibly in pain and swollen on the face, was the driver of the commuter omnibus ferrying some apostolic sect members from Mutare to Karimbika in Uzumba Maramba-PFungwe, when they were involved in a head-on collision with a Honda Fit.
The driver, who was wriggling in pain, had to be taken to his home area in Murambinda by some relatives and church members who were moving in a Toyota Wish.
They said their church belief does not allow their members to seek medical attention, but rather prayers.
The hospital staff had to discharge the driver, who was part of the 16 injured people admitted at the hospital.
Before he was removed from the hospital, the driver refused to be injected until his relatives came to fetch him, hospital staff confirmed.
The Johane Marange apostolic sect is known for prohibiting its members from seeking medical attention from hospitals, despite massive interventions by government to compel them to seek medical attention.
A few months ago, about five people, including a sect leader from the same church, died from cholera in Murewa.
The sect leaders barred health officials from accessing the shrine following the outbreak that left many others hospitalised.
It took the anti-riot police, government officials and non-governmental organisations to disperse the worshippers at the shrine in a bid to stop the further spread of the deadly disease.
Source - newsday
