The protesting staff said management has been relying on other hospitals in Queenstown and Aliwal North for PPE, and rumour is that there is no stock in Mthatha.
This was the facility’s second protest since the Covid-19 lockdown. Last month, nurses and doctors stopped work for a day in protest. They returned to work after management promised them PPE. That protective gear was supposed to be delivered last week, Tuesday.
Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA shop steward and chairperson in Sanqu Local, Mphathiswa Patreni, said they refused to risk their lives. “We have people who are working at maternity wards. Those people are dealing with blood. They cannot work without gloves. Even the people at casualty cannot work without gloves,” said Patreni.
In 2017, the community shut down the small town of Sterkspruit because the hospital had only two doctors. After the protests, more doctors were appointed. Patreni said currently there are about ten medical staff, including two physiotherapists, a dentist, and pharmacist. But the new doctors were meant to be assisted with accommodation. The hospital had at first rented flats in town for them, but then stopped, citing a lack of funds.
“Doctors are now threatening to leave. We are already short-staffed and we cannot afford to lose these doctors. The community needs them,” said Patreni.
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