The Dora Nginza Hospital and the Motherwell Community Health Centre (CHC) in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, are back to full working capacity following unprotected strike action at the two facilities.
This, according to Eastern Cape Department of Health Head of Department (HOD) Dr Rolene Wagner, who briefed the media on Monday afternoon.
“Staff have returned to work and services have been restored. The second reason to engage with the media was just to apologise to the community that was affected by the disruption, both at Motherwell CHC as well as Dora Nginza Hospital.
“We want to appreciate that you’ve given us room as an administration to deal with the disruptions. We also want to appreciate everyone who stepped up and stepped forward to work with us as we had to divert patients and manage the services within the wider Nelson Mandela Bay as well as the Sarah Baartman District,” she said.
According to Wagner, the striking workers at Motherwell raised issues related to safety following criminal incidents at the facility.
“This was because we had…six break-ins at the Motherwell CHC. We do want to note that those break-ins when computers were stolen…there were no signs of forced entry. The department opened a case and we are putting together a panel to do an investigation into why and how the computers disappeared.
“Immediately, the management met with the staff, understood the concerns and we started implementing a series of security interventions. That included clearing the trees, putting up floodlights [and] CCTV cameras. The access gates were also repaired…and guards patrolled the perimeter,” she said.
Security interventions were further stepped up following another attempted break-in at the facility, while trauma debriefing was also arranged for the workers.
Wagner said that at Dora Nginza, the department will be engaging the workers and details will not be furnished at the moment.
According to the HOD, the facility was particularly affected by the strike as some non-striking workers were taken out of wards and some union members were interfering with operations.
“What we can say is that there was unprotected action. It is said that it is in relation to additional overtime…and it was also related to Motherwell CHC, now putting pressure on Dora to try and absorb the patients from casualty and maternity.
“We called on SAPS…and opened a case with the individuals that were interfering with the operations,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za
