NEHAWU hands over memorandum to KZN Health over COVID-19 protocols
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (NEHAWU) has handed over a memorandum of demands to the KwaZulu-Natal Health Department over the COVID-19 protocols at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital in Durban.
There were protests at the hospital on Thursday morning- with nurses saying there's a lack of proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and are being overworked - among other grievances.
Among the demands are for staff working in the theatre and trauma unit to be given appropriate PPE and for patients moving through these Wards to be treated as potential COVID-19 patients.
NEHAWU says doctors are given preference when it comes to testing while nurses and cleaning staff who have had the same contact with COVID-19 patients are not given priority.
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A nurse - who does not want to be named - says patient care in ICU is also being compromised.
"The nurse to patient ratio is supposed to be 1:1. We were doing three to four ventilators."
They are calling for the removal of the nursing manager and want a total shutdown of the facility for decontamination.
The Health Department says the MEC will read and respond to the memorandum of demands - and take action where necessary.
