3
100
80
60
40
20
0
CCJP
LRF
ZWLA
ZimRights
ZLHR
Amani
The majority was aware of the codes of medical ethics in the country, and a majority had
received formal training in such ethics. About that half felt that there was need to further define
medical ethics, but, equally, half felt that the existing codes were satisfactory. We did not explore
knowledge of the ICN instruments.
Medical Ethics
83.4
Table 1.
Formal
Education
82.4
Define Medical
Ethics
54.2
A majority felt that non-adherence to medical ethics negatively affected nurse-patient
relationships.
Torture
The UN definition of Torture requires 4 elements to be present for torture to be accepted:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Severe pain and suffering, whether physical or mental;
Intentionally inflicted;
With a purpose;
By a state official or another acting with the acquiesance of the State.
The sample had no cases that could provide all 4 elements of the above definition – 58 could
give no definition, 101 had one element, 16 had two, and 3 had three. However, 65% of the
sample felt that they had seen a case of torture previously. 18% stated that they had been
personally witness to a case of torture.
Of these, a minority had been brought by the police, as can be seen from Table 2 below.
Police
Relatives
44
22.1
69
34.6
Table 2.
Someone Else
45
22.6
Came on his/her
own
64
32.1
Half of the sample felt that they would not examine a victim of torture in their clinic, but the
reasons for not doing so were contradictory. 18% felt that they did not deal with medico-legal
cases [which is generally the case in Zimbabwe], 16% felt that they did not have the expertise,
and 8% would not manage such cases because they did not come through the police.
As regards involvement in torture, 5% stated that they had administered drugs to facilitate
interrogation, another 5% had withheld treatment, and yet another 5% had given treatment
Amani Trust
Knowledge, attitudes and experiences of nurses on human rights, their violations and medical ethics in Zimbabwe.