GQEBERA – The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in the Eastern Cape congratulates and welcomes warmly to the noble profession the 463 nursing graduates from the Lilitha Nursing College who were capped today at the college’s graduation ceremony, and urge the provincial Department of Health to employ all the current post- community service nurses who graduated last year for its facilities as a matter of urgency.
DENOSA understands that their journey was not easy, but they reached their graduation day, which will serve as a relief to the already strained healthcare personnel.
As DENOSA, we call upon the Eastern Cape Department of Health to draw a proper plan to employ the current cohort of community service nurses by 2025 as post- community service nurses. It is disturbing to have the nurses who are not employed, citing the challenge of lack of funds, whereas the shortage of staff remains the burden to healthcare services.
The delays in the employment of nurses during the transition from community service to post- community service contribute immensely to the unemployment rate within the province. Currently, it is reported that the province’s unemployment rate increased to a staggering 42.4%. As DENOSA, we argue that the lack of management of this transition of nurses contributes to this economic recession as stated.
Furthermore, DENOSA calls upon the department to assist and monitor Lilita Nursing College closely in order to get its accreditation for post- graduate nursing qualifications in specialty areas like Primary Health Care, ICU, Peadiatric, Emergency, Theatre and other areas and increase the number of intake in order to respond to the increasing healthcare needs of the province.
The nursing workforce in the province is faced with a challenge of short supply of nurses to the more than 830 healthcare facilities in the province at the time when nurses are reaching their retirement age, and some are resigning while others pass on. DENOSA urges the Department of Health to increase the budget for nursing education next year so that more students can be enrolled, whose production can be sufficient for the number of healthcare facilities. That would be proper leadership and management foresight.
We wish the graduating cohort well in the profession that is the backbone of the healthcare system.
End.
Issued by the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in Eastern Cape.
For more information, contact:
Veli Sinqana, DENOSA Eastern Cape Provincial Secretary.
Mobile: 072 432 8226.
Sivuyile Mange, DENOSA Eastern Cape Provincial Chairperson