Lancet Laboratory Rochester Place staff are seen as patients arrive for coronavirus testing, 18 March 2020, in Sandton, at the lab. Patients arriving at the facility have all been referred by a doctor to be tested. Picture: Michel Bega
The South African Medical Association Trade Union (Samatu) on Wednesday welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of financial relief for vulnerable citizens and businesses, but says its members are being overlooked.
Samatu said in a statement frontline healthcare workers were actually the most vulnerable group in society to the effects of coronavirus, and asked for relief in the form of income tax exemption for six months.
“Twenty five days into the lockdown and with the Covid-19 infection rate rising at a faster pace, the possibility of a vaccine or curative treatment still far-fetched, coupled with the unreliable supply of personnel protective equipment; where do health professionals get located in the equation of Rands and Cents aimed at the relief of various sectors and
vulnerable citizens?” the statement read.
“While health professionals are not classified as vulnerable citizens financially, in the face of this pandemic, they are the most vulnerable to contracting the infection and the consequences thereof, which in some instances entails death.
“They are the first individuals to be in contact with the infected citizens. With the rise of infections in the country, health professionals are increasingly at risk and more vulnerable to the infections. The silence in the President’s address concerning any immediate financial relief measures for frontline health workers is too loud.
“We do not seek to be treated any different from other essential workers, but we do see ourselves as the real frontline soldiers in the fight against COVID-19 in both communities and health institutions.
The risk of contracting the disease is very high and the fear is overwhelming to all health professionals, the statement continued, particularly the doctors, nurses, porters and cleaners in hospital entry points such as casualty, maternity and outpatient departments.
“We continue to dust ourselves on daily basis despite the huge risk of contracting the infection and bringing it home to our loved ones yet the government has not pronounced on anything tangible in appreciation of frontline health professionals.
“We therefore call upon all frontline health professionals to unite and submit to the government to exempt all the health professionals from INCOME TAX for the coming six months or more depending on prevailing circumstances, beginning from the 31st April 2020.
“The tax exemption for the said period shall undoubtedly motivate health professionals to continue providing the much needed services in an uninterrupted manner and indeed that will help with the recovery of our economy and nation at large.”
(Compiled by Carina Koen.)
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