Lack of masks for staff at St. Augustine's Hospital, union claims
A union, representing nurses at Netcare St. Augustine's Hospital in Durban, says it received multiple complaints about the lack of protections for healthcare workers exposed to COVID-19 at work.
The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) says, according to nurses, their immediate managers had refused to provide them with Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).
The hospital's Emergency Department's been shutdown after 66 people at the facility tested positive for the virus, 48 of them are staff members.
DENOSA's Mandla Shabangu says nurses and other healthcare workers treating coronavirus patients, were told to use surgical masks -- when regulations stipulate that an N95 is the most effective mask for of protection.
"Medical masks cannot be used, especially on the front-liners, because the front-liners we are referring to people who are interacting with you, in the trauma unit where you come in injured or having difficulty in breathing -they don't know your condition or where you have been."
READ: Discharged St. Augustine's patients urged to contact Health
The Health Ministry says three coronavirus patients - admitted to the Berea-based facility - died within 72 hours.
Shabangu says their members fear for their lives.
"As much as they were told to go home because the Wards cannot function, they are sitting with their families. We had received calls from St. Augustine's staff before this outbreak that management will say 'use surgical masks' even if they see they need more N95 masks."
Mkhize says they're trying to trace those who might've come in contact with the coronavirus patients.
Health Minister, Zweli Mkhize says they're trying to trace those who might've come in contact with the coronavirus patients.
"We ordered that there should be tests right across a number of people who have worked at this hospital. I think at this point we have tested more than 300 people, and we have said that all staff must be tested.
Responding to questions about the alleged withholding of PPEs from nurses and other healthcare staff -- Netcare's Group Medical Director Anchen Laubscher -- has denied the allegations.
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He says staff members at St Augustine's are being provided with the appropriate protective equipment on an ongoing basis.
Laubscher says no hospital staff member has been asked to work without this.
"Staff members at Netcare St Augustine's Hospital have been provided, and are being provided on an ongoing basis, with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Netcare St Augustine's Hospital has not expected of any staff member to work without appropriate PPE and neither has any other Netcare hospital."
