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EDITOR: BETTIE GILIOMEE
Nurses want right medicine for their problems
Patients waiting to be helped at the New Brighton Clinic. Nurses in primary health care in the Bay are meeting today to discuss the way forward in dealing with what they call unbearable working conditions which not only affect them but their patients too. PHOTO: NCEBA DLADLA
NCEBA DLADLA
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to patients.
ELSON Mandela Bay Primary Healthcare workers are meeting at the Zwide Township Clinic in Port Elizabeth today to address issues that affect them and their service
Disgruntled nurses working in New Brighton, Tshangana, and Zwide Clinics in Port Elizabeth and Rosedale Clinic in Uitenhage told PE Express Indaba that they were facing major problems and if it was not addressed speedily, more lives would be lost in Nelson Mandela Bay. “At the New Brighton clinic alone, many patients, some in wheelchairs, have to wait in long queues of about 400 at times. They arrive as early as 7am hoping to see the doctor,” said Nontobeko Yawa, AZAPO’s Provincial Health Com-
missioner. Yawa contacted PE Express Indaba after she recently saw a patient “collapse and die” while waiting for assistance at the New Brighton clinic. Nurses complain about working under duress in unbearable circumstances since the transfer of clinics from the municipality to the province through provincialisation. They claim to be understaffed as many have resigned owing to the poor working conditions. Those working under contracts do not know their future. Nurses claim there are not enough doctors, pharmacists or trained personnel to dispense medication and that they are forced to work more hours for less pay. “We have lost benefits like Medical Aid, UIF, Group Life Insurance and Pension Fund,” said a dejected Nursing Sister Winky Mngqibisa who
has been in the nursing profession for 27 years. According to Mngqibisa, a legal team has been appointed to look into the Transfer Agreement between Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality and the Provincial Department of Health which was signed without the involvement of their union representatives. Of the 400 members of staff transferred, 59 have already resigned, according to Mngqibisa. “We are not happy here. We do not get opportunities for better pay and have lost our benefits. There is a lot of nepotism and lack of transparency,” said Nursing Assistant Vurovanty Johannes of Rosedale clinic. “I am also concerned about the working conditions in this clinic which adversely affect the patients,” said Mngqibisa. One of the patients waiting to be assisted at the clinic said they were told that there was no medication. “We can’t afford to go to other areas
in the city centre to get medication. This is unfair,” said the patient. According to Yawa, AZAPO presented a report about what she called “continued negligence” to the Public Protector on September 12 this year during Advocate Thuli Madonsela’s consultations on the health sector. Provincial Health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said his department was aware of, and addressing, the challenges facing Nelson Mandela Bay Primary Health. “To start with, we have appointed a new district Director to address those challenges.” Kupelo added that if members of staff were experiencing problems, they were expected to contact their relevant managers or contact EC Health Department Director Sipumeze Makitshi. Kupelo advised patients encountering problems to call: 0800 032 364.
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