Clinics to face major nursing shortages
"In January, professional nurses started working at these clinics on five-year contracts. These nurses recently received contract termination notices, which will be effective at the end of December."
Four clinics in Tembisa and Kempton Park are to be without nursing staff by the end of 2015.
This is according to the DA Constituency Head of Kempton Park and Tembisa, MPL Refiloe Nt’sekhe.
MPL Nt’sekhe said she visited four clinics in Tembisa and Kempton Park and was informed the clinics will face major nursing shortages by the end of the year.
“In January, professional nurses started working at these clinics on five-year contracts. These nurses recently received contract termination notices, which will be effective at the end of December. This means these four clinics will have to operate without professional nursing staff from the beginning of next year,” said MPL Nt’sekhe.
MPL Nt’sekhe said nurses play a crucial role at clinics and the termination of these work contracts will compromise the quality of health care provided to residents living in Tembisa and Kempton Park.
“I will be writing to the Gauteng MEC for Health, Dorothy Mahlangu, and the Ekurhuleni MMC for Health, Makhosazana Mabaso, requesting that they provide clarity on this issue as a matter of urgency and provide information as to how these clinics will operate with these vacancies,” said MPL Nt’sekhe.
The Tembisan sent a request for comment to the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality on Monday, October 26.
At the time of going to print, no comment had been received.
