Department of Health Department of Health 2023/03/08 - 22:00
The National Department of Health continues to observe the situation of the Nehawu strike and its impact on the healthcare services throughout the country. The strike has turned to be violent and a threat to human life as the protestors prevent and block the non-striking workers from entering facilities to render much needed services to communities, majority of whom depend on the public health service for access to their health care needs.
As a consequence, the Department advised provincial departments to seek and apply for court interdicts to protect workers and property against the violence meted out by the Nehawu striking workers.
The situation today has improved in many of the facilities as the police have heeded the court order and have come to ensure the safety of everyone, especially the non-striking workers to attend to their work responsibilities. All provinces that are highly affected were able to get the court interdicts and are being applied to bring the situation to normal.
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Gauteng province is the most hit by the strike, however, since in the morning today the situation has improved a bit with some facilities still experiencing difficulties.
Yesterday, some hospitals experienced total shut down as was the case at Kopanong, Sebokeng, Thelle Mogoerane and Bheki Mlangeni where patients were left unattended as striking workers went inside wards ordering staff out of the facilities. Two academic hospitals, Charlotte Maxeke and Chris Hani Baragwanath were also negatively impacted.
The update we got this morning is that Bheki Mlangeni, Kopanong , Sebokeng, Thelle Mogoerane and Helen Joseph hospitals were still experiencing challenges.
Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital was impacted yesterday. We can report that all wards and clinics at this facility are operational today at above 90 percent functionality. While at Bara the situation was stable inside even though the protest outside intensified with access to the main entrance obstructed.
The Department has assigned Senior Managers to all affected districts and health facilities to provide support to assess the situation and provide the necessary support.
Contingency Measures:
• Where services are affected the National Department of Health is working with Provinces to ensure that contingency plans are in place:
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All appointments that would not be attended to will be rescheduled
A catch-up programme will have to be in place
Patients who were discharged need to be given enough medications so that we alleviate the pressure on the health system
• Elective operations have been postponed until the situation normalises. However, no-elective surgeries are being prioritised.
Provincial situation:
So far the following provinces have successfully applied for the court interdicts empowering the police to enforce law and order at our health facilities:
Free State
Gauteng
KwaZulu-Natal
Northern Cape
Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape – The situation has normalised in some of the affected health facilities following the discussions between the union leaders and health authorities.
KwaZulu-Natal – The Department has intensified security by securing the services of more security companies to complement the current workforce and police.
Free State- the situation has been calmer in most of the major facilities since the morning, though there are reports that striking members are moving to other facilities. Some facilities have moved ICU patients to private health facilities.
Northern Cape – the attention has shifted to areas such as Barkly West targeting clinics, otherwise the most part of the province are calmer as of this morning. Police are closely monitoring the situation.
END
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Joint Media Statement Giving an Update on NEHAWU Strike 09.03.2023.pdf
Published 2023/03/08 - 22:00
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