Swazi Observer

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HEALTH CRISIS AS MORE NURSES, DOCTORS DOWN TOOLS

By Sifiso Nhlabatsi | 2020-03-23

MORE health facilities in the country have been thrown into total chaos as nurses continue to protest over the lack of protective gear in hospitals.

Last Thursday, patients who had come to get services at Mbabane Government Hospital were turned back and told to return this Thursday as nurses claimed that they had no idea when the situation would normalise.

The sit-in that started with Mbabane Government Hospital and Lobamba Clinic last Wednesday has now spread to other health facilities in the country. More hospitals including Mankayane and Mkhuzweni Health facilities joined the sit-in over lack of protective gear.

Director of Health Services Vusi Magagula, in an interview, had pointed out that as a ministry they were in the process of ordering protective clothing. Magagula made it clear that this is a process and not something that happens overnight.

The ministry has acknowledged the shortage of protective clothing. Health workers on, the other hand, have pointed out that even the available protective gear is way too old and can no longer be effective.

In Mbabane nurses continued with their sit in and patients were turned back on arrival at the hospital. The nurses made it clear that they will not resume work until their concerns are addressed.

Some of the concerns by the nurses included the lack of a singular entry point for all patients in the Out Patient Department (OPD), absence of a screening point at OPD that uses the COVID-19 questionnaire to identify and isolate suspected COVID-19 patients.

The nurses also wanted the number of patients allowed in the premises to be of a certain quota in order to reduce congestion and increased risk of transmission.

Nurses also complained of the lack of soap, paper towels and hand sanitisers in toilets and consultation rooms. On thursday nurses and orderlies were found lazing around the hospitals while some patients were turned back and told to return on another date.

Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union President Bheki Mamba said more health centres staged sit-ins. He said the concerns were the same across all the health centres in question.

He said they had learnt that since Parliament had approved the budget, the ministry was now in the process of ordering the equipment.

When questioned why nurses could not assist patients while they are awaiting the protective gear, Mamba said the challenge was that there was no control of traffic in hospitals hence nurses felt that they were vulnerable at their workstations.

Mamba said another problem was that there was no official from the ministry of health to address the nurses on the issue of traffic in hospitals.

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