HOSPERSA calls for better working conditions for nurses
"The DoH is moving at a snail’s pace in addressing these issues."
THE Health & Other Services Personnel Trade Union of South Africa (Hospersa), has called on the Department of Health (DoH) as well as private health institutions to address the poor working conditions and remuneration shortfalls of nurses. The Union also vowed to continue campaigning for an improved health care service and improved working conditions for nurses in both the public and private sector.
The Union joined the international community in celebrating International Nurses Day on Sunday. The annual celebration highlights the important role nurses play in the society and marks the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth.
“Hospersa commends nurses for being the life blood of the health care system where many challenges beyond their control continue to paralyse it. Their role in our clinics and hospitals ensures that primary health care reaches the most vulnerable South Africans who depend on it the most. However, poor working conditions especially in public health facilities, continues being a thorn in the flesh in the delivery of quality health care to many of the country’s communities,” said Hospersa Public Relations Officer, Kevin Halama.
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In its continued efforts to put pressure on the employer to address nurses’ issues, the Union recently marched in Durban. “We have taken the lead in addressing these issues which affect nurses in the workplace. To address the OHS concerns in the workplace, we have partnered with the National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOH) for collaborative efforts to tackles OHS challenges experienced by health workers, including nurses. Leaking ceilings, broken elevators and depleted buildings have become the face of public health care. A number of hospitals and clinics have been red-flagged to be in violation of OHS standards, yet the DoH is moving at a snail’s pace in addressing the reported Occupational Health and Safety contraventions,” said Halama.
In addition, Halama said there was also a high prevalence of work place infections of Tuberculosis (TB) which was robbing the health sector of a skilled workforce consisting mostly of nurses. “According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), South Africa (SA) has the second-highest TB incidence amongst health care workers in the world. It is high time that TB prevention amongst health workers, especially nurses, takes priority as they are at the cold face of both the HIV and TB epidemics,” added Halama.
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