The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in KwaZulu-Natal has noted that the number of health workers infected in the province is increasing despite the province having improved on the procurement of PPE (at this stage we can confirm that the PPE is available in almost all district’s.) 

The number of infections in the province is not increasing as much on the population at large, but there is marked increase in the infection amongst health workers.

“As DENOSA, we are concerned about what could be attributable to these rising infections while the department claims to be providing PPE sufficiently,” says DENOSA KZN Provincial Secretary, Mandla Shabangu.

We think the department should be conducting an urgent investigation and get to the bottom of the root cause of the spread of the virus.

“Furthermore, we are concerned that nurses are given surgical masks, with each nurse given one surgical mask per day. We propose that nurses be given at least three masks per day and be exposed to continuous workshops and in-service training.”

We further propose that N95 masks be used by all front line health workers during this time until we know exactly what the cause of infections is.  

DENOSA is concerned about the attitude of certain CEO’s in the province who are intimidating nurses with charges when they are raising their fears about the virus. We want the department to fast-track the psychological support to all health workers affected directly or indirectly by the pandemic.

We appreciate the strides made by the provincial administration, but all this will be in vain if the health workers are not protected.

“As a way forward, we are proposing an urgent intervention by the department to investigate and put mitigating factors to reduce infections,” concludes Shabangu.

End

Issued by DENOSA in KwaZulu-Natal

For more information, contact:

Mandla Shabangu, DENOSA KZN Provincial Secretary

Cell: 071 643 3369