Home-based carers to finally be absorbed into the health system
The MEC for Health, Phophi Ramathuba explained during a Health Dialogue held at Oosskool on 9 April, that they are currently in the process of capturing home-based carers and on 30 April, they will be receiving the minimum wage of R3 500.
POLOKWANE – Home-based care workers are at the centre of the health care system, yet have been overlooked for many years. They are the foot soldiers, reaching patients where doctors and nurses cannot reach.
The MEC for Health, Phophi Ramathuba explained during a Health Dialogue held at Oosskool on 9 April, that they are currently in the process of capturing home-based carers and on 30 April, they will be receiving the minimum wage of R3 500.
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“This is a welcome development for community-based workers who have for a long time been demanding that they be recognised and absorbed into the system for them to have better working conditions.”
Ramathuba explained that she had roadshows where she interacted with home-based care workers and some of their grievances included that they get paid inconsistently, if they do get paid at all.
“We are not against Non-Profit Organisations (NPO)’s but you give the money to the NPOs and they start by investing the money and only pay the community health workers when they get returns on their investment.
“These people are able to pay their luxury vehicles but they are unable to pay the person who moves door-to-door, from one house to another bathing patients, feeding them, and sometimes they find that they do more than they are supposed to for the people neglected by their own family members,” she said.
The persal salary system will be used to pay the workers and Ramathuba added that this has saved government approximately R63 million because initially the money was going to NPO’s, some of whom misappropriated the money. The majority of home-based care workers are women, Ramathuba explained, and that was why this step was so important, since the salaries would go directly towards food, school fees and providing for their families.
