Patients left unattended after nurses down tools
Several patients were allegedly turned away and went back home after the long wait.
WENTWORTH Hospital patients were left sick and stranded on Monday morning, 6 April after nurses refused to attend to their medical needs in fear of their own personal health.
According to the patients who had been waiting outside the Out Patient Department (OPD), nurses were not able to assist them because they had not been given the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) required by health workers. A group of women, who spoke to the SUN on condition of anonymity, said the doctors were at the hospital waiting to see to them however were unable to because the nurses downed tools.
“The nurses refused to come out because they had no gloves or masks. The administration department also said that the matter is out of their hands. This is unacceptable. People have been standing here since 4am waiting to see doctors and get their medication, while nurses sit in the staff room and doctors wait in their rooms,” they said.
Several patients were turned away and went back home, giving in to the long wait. Another young woman suffered a mild seizure outside the hospital in her wheelchair while waiting anxiously with her boyfriend at her side. “I went inside to look for a nurse with no luck. We came here today because she is supposed to be given a transfer to go to Nkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital for a scan. But upon arrival we were told that we can’t be assisted because the staff don’t have protective gear. We’ve just been told that we need to be patient,” said the boyfriend in defeat.
The KZN Department of Health said its office was busy attending to the matter. The department’s spokesperson, Ntokozo Maphisa said: “The department apologises for the temporary disruption to normal service delivery at the said healthcare facility, due to an unforeseen challenge. We wish to emphasise that no patients were turned away and the Community Healthcare Centre’s doors were not shut to any patients as a result of this. Surgical masks have been made available to frontline staff.
“Senior management have addressed all concerns raised by staff over the availability, utilisation, and disposal processes concerning Personal Protective Equipment, and all staff have resumed duty. Despite a global shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), government will always endeavour to ensure that all staff who require it, in line with their work, do receive it at all times.”
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