Mpumalanga patients feel the pinch as Nehawu strike continues
As Nehawu's strike action wages nationwide, employees who reported for work at health facilities were chased out, and a pregnant patient in Tonga Hospital has been helping fellow maternity ward patients deliver babies in the absence of medical personnel.
It has been a week of agony for the patients at Tonga and Rob Ferreira Hospital since the commencement of Nehawu’s strike on March 6.
Lowvelder visited Tonga today, March 13, to see first-hand what the situation there is.
One of the most severely affected wards in Tonga is seemingly the maternity ward, which is either manned casually or not even at all, leaving pregnant women to give birth on their own, or with the assistance of fellow patients.
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The newspaper has since learnt that in the midst of all this chaos, a pregnant woman, who had also been admitted for delivery on Thursday March 9, has since been saving the day by helping about three women deliver their children in the absence of hospital staff.
Some matrons have allegedly tried to sneak back into the wards last night, March 12, to try to do their work, and were busted and dragged out by the striking members. “It’s so hectic in the wards since the beginning of the strike. The patients are struggling, and sadly, some are even losing their lives. There’s no one to attend to anything and we were only trying to help. They chased us out and the patients are left alone. What’s happening inside is really sad. Whoever is supposed to attend to the workers’ grievances must do it soon, because this is getting out of control,” said one of the nurses who did not wish to be named.
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The patients are said to have no food, as the kitchen staff has been completely barred out this whole weekend. One of the visitors who brought food and water for their loved one, bemoaned how badly this is weighing on them, because they have to buy enough extra food for their relative. “To say things are bad inside is an understatement – it’s terrible. We have to ensure we buy enough food for our family members in this hospital. There’s no food, no water, it’s dirty and unkempt inside, and it stinks. Staff members are outside picketing and our families are losing their lives in there. I’ve been bringing food for my brother and I also have to ensure that I come every day, because the food spoils, and they don’t get anything additional from the hospital. It’s really heartbreaking,” said Sibongile Maseko, who visited her brother in the hospital.
According to an employee of Rob Ferreira Hospital, who chose to remain anonymous, they were allegedly chased out of the facility by Nehawu members. “We went to work, however, we had to leave early. The protesters are still gathering at the hospital and we do not know for how long.”
Nehawu’s members say the strike will continue until their demands are met by the government. “We have made arrangements with the CEO to ensure that basic services are running and the skeletons staff continues to do their duties. We will be at this gate day and night until the employer gives us the 10% we demand. We will not back down. The offer from government is ridiculous and we reject it.”
