A FEMALE nurse collapsed and fainted at Gweru General Hospital after stumbling on a ‘witch’ sucking blood from a patient in a hospital ward, it was claimed on Saturday.
The nurse was carrying out routine checks on patients early Wednesday morning when he stumbled on the gremlin.
The nurse is now admitted at the hospital, receiving treatment, the Bulawayo Chronicle reported.
A hospital official said staff were now afraid to work nights following the incident which has become the talk of the Midlands city.
"The affected nurse is still admitted in hospital where she is receiving treatment. Fear has now gripped the hospital staff following the incident as most nurses are now afraid to go on night duty," the unnamed official told the newspaper.
The incident took place as the nurse made her routine rounds in the female wards around 3AM in the morning.
"When she came across the witch, the drip had been removed from the patient. The witch was apparently busy sucking blood from the patient and the on-duty nurse immediately raised an alarm upon witnessing the shocking incident. She (the nurse) suddenly collapsed and fainted," the hospital official said.
"She is still weak and is being attended to by a doctor. However, she is now able to narrate what really transpired on the fateful day."
Hospital superintendant Dr Fabian Mashingaidze confirmed that a nurse was being treated at the institution but dismissed as fantasy reports of a “witch” citing.
"Let me assure the general public that there is no incident of that sort which happened at Gweru Provincial Hospital. It's a fabrication from some people who are fantasising," Dr Mashingaidze said.
"The nurse is being attended to by one of the doctors but her condition and the nature of the ailment is confidential."
Dr Mashingaidze said a report compiled by staff following the incident did not make any reference to the alleged witch.
"In the report there was no mention of any incident of that nature and there is no evidence that such a thing occurred," he said.