The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in Limpopo notes the increasing numbers of COVID-19 new infections in the province, especially in Capricorn, and Vhembe districts.
We further take note of Limpopo Health Department’s efforts to strengthen capacity in the fight against the pandemic by establishing additional Covid-19 beds to accommodate many patients who need in-patient care. We believe that these additional beds will not save the lives of community members due to shortage of nurses who are required to take care of patients admitted in the hospitals.
The available nurses are already overstretched, exhausted and frustrated due to the overwhelmed health system in the province.
DENOSA Limpopo is worried about the Department of Health’s poor preparations in a fight against the resurgence where shortage of Healthcare Workers is mainly caused by failure to fill vacant nursing posts left by nurses who went on pension, transfered or lost their lives. The situation is exacerbated by the impact of Covid-19 which confined more than hundred nurses either on self- quarantine or isolation.
DENOSA is seriously disturbed by Department of Health’s decision to dismiss more than 350 newly qualified Professional Nurses who are due to complete their Community service on the 31st of January 2021. These nurses were recruited and trained by Limpopo Health Department for a period of four years after identifying the need for additional Professional Nurses in the province.
The clinics couldn’t provide 24 hours services due to shortage of nurses, which denies our communities access to health services
Limpopo Department of Health is now serving as a training agent for other provinces such as Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng and private healthcare institutions which are benefiting from professional nurses trained and dumped on the streets despite severe shortage in the public hospitals and clinics. Limpopo Health Department trained and dumped about 700 professional nurses who were recruited by other provinces and private healthcare institutions.
DENOSA Limpopo calls on the Department of Health to resolve shortage of nurses and other Healthcare Workers through:
1. Absorbtion of 368 professional nurses
who were issued with letters to terminate their contract at the end of January 2021.
2. Location and appointment of Post-Community Service Professional Nurses who were trained and dumped by Limpopo Department of Health in 2019 and 2020.
3. Implementation of Circular 39 of 2020 by appointing 1362 Professional nurses, 167 Staff Nurses and 102 Nursin Assistants as advertised.
We believe that additional beds are required to strengthen the province’s capacity to deal with the resurgence.
END
Issued by the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in Limpopo.
For more information, contact:
Jacob Molepo, Provincial Secretary
Mobile: 0725764979
Lesiba Monyaki, Provincial Chairperson
Mobile: 0725782753