NEHAWU Vindicated By The Outcomes Of The Minister of Health Visit To Eastern Cape
Thursday April 23, 2020
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] in the Eastern Cape is gravely concerned about the lack of an effective strategy by the Eastern Cape Provincial Government to combat the spread of COVID-19.
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] is vindicated by the outcomes of the visit by the Minister of Health in the Eastern Cape Province yesterday.
During the visit it was discovered that hospitals were full and that there was a dire shortage of staff and an urgent need for personal protective equipment [PPE’s] for healthcare workers. Since the outbreak of the corona virus, NEHAWU has been at the forefront of highlighting the lack of protection for workers and the unsafe working conditions confronting them in their respective workplaces. Our efforts included the demand to meet the Minister to resolve and approaching the Labour Court to fight for the protection of our members and workers.
We have been receiving reports from healthcare facilities from across the country that do not have sufficient stocks of PPE’s including the Livingstone hospital that the Minister visited and the Dora Nginza Hospital which are both in the Port Elizabeth area. On a daily basis more and more infections are recorded [3953 cases and 75 deaths as of today] which means that there will be an influx of patients needing medical assistance while our healthcare facilities are not ready nor prepared to assist those patients because of lack of proper PPE’s, training on infection prevention and control, and training of healthcare workers on how to deal with the virus including the proper sequence of putting on and safely removing PPE’s.
The growing number of healthcare workers who are getting infected by the virus further proves our claim on the safety of frontline workers and that our court action was not a spurious exercise but underpinned by tangible facts of workers being continuously exposed to the virus. This week the Western Cape Provincial Department of Health reported that 47 healthcare workers have contracted the virus while Gauteng today reported 28 cases, more cases are reported from KwaZulu-Natal and other parts of the country as well.
As NEHAWU, we continue to hold a strong view that the infections of workers can be avoided if proper PPE’s are made available, training of workers on the proper use of PPE’s is provided and healthcare institutions fully comply with Occupational Health and Safety standards as stipulated in the Act.
The infection of healthcare workers puts more strain to our healthcare facilities considering that we have always struggled with understaffing in the healthcare sector. Pleas made to government to fill all vacant posts have fallen on deaf ears, in some cases government has elected to put moratoriums on the filling of vacant posts thus further exacerbating the problem of understaffing. The outbreak of the corona virus requires all hands on deck to stem the tide on new infections. The loss of healthcare workers to the virus further undermines the broader efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19.
NEHAWU was amongst the first contingent of volunteers in the labour movement organised in the health sector to welcome the pronouncement by the President of the Republic for a lockdown in order to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. We responded to this clarion call as part of the motive forces who have consistently pledged commitment to the transformational agenda to build a capable state that is able to provide quality healthcare to society. However, government has an obligation to defend and arm its soldiers that it sends to war. The road to victory must begin with government taking care of its soldiers and ensuring that they are armed to the teeth as they confront the corona virus.
NEHAWU still demands for an urgent meeting with the Minister of Health to raise sharply the issue of protection for our members and workers including the implementation of the outcomes of the meeting held on the 8th April 2020. Once more, we advise all our members and frontline workers not to work if they feel that their lives are in danger and without protective gear. The national union has instructed its provincial leadership in the Eastern Cape to urgently call an urgent meeting with the Premier and the MEC of Health to pay close attention to the safety of frontline workers including developing a responsive strategy to COVID-19 while the Thabo Moshoeshoe region is directed to closely monitor progress at both Livingstone and Dora Nginza Hospital.
Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat
Zola Saphetha (General Secretary) at 082 558 5968
Khaya Xaba (NEHAWU National Spokesperson) at 082 455 2500
December Mavuso (Deputy General Secretary) at 082 558 5969;
email: khaya@nehawu.org.za
NEHAWU Website