Two Port Elizabeth health facilities closed as nurses protest

Covid-19 related issues saw the closure of the Korsten clinic as well as Empilweni TB hospital in New Brighton as nurses protested outside both facilities on Monday.

Empilweni staff refused to return to work until they were furnished with the results of their Covid-19 tests — undertaken last week after one of the staff tested positive — while in Korsten nurses demanded they receive full personal protective equipment (PPE).

According to one of the nurses at Empilweni, the group took to the streets on Monday claiming they were being forced to work despite not having received their results.

“Nurses at the Zwide clinic were forced to work by the district health office while they were awaiting their test results and as a result 11 people tested positive.

“Two people have passed away from that 11; we are now being forced to work while we are awaiting our test results after coming into direct contact with a positive Covid-19 patient,” the nurse said.

The nurse said she feared that the TB crisis in the country had been sidelined as a result of Covid-19.

“TB and HIV are the leading most infectious diseases.

“TB is a crisis in SA and the Eastern Cape.

“We can’t help our patients because the hospital hasn’t been disinfected.

“Only the kitchen was disinfected.

“We haven’t received our test results, we don’t know our statuses.

“We last saw patients on May 4 and we are doing nothing here.

“The department is turning a blind eye on TB, which has always been a crisis.

“This hospital shouldn’t have been disturbed,” the nurse said.

New Brighton resident and TB patient Ntomboxolo Zantsi said her treatment had ended last Thursday.

“I was supposed to fetch [my medication] at the Zwide clinic, but when I got there I was told it’s closed because a nurse had died because of Covid-19.”

Zantsi said without her medication she was concerned about her health as well as possibly transferring TB to others.

Nurses at the Korsten clinic refused to help patients on Monday as they claimed some patients  displaying Covid-19 symptoms had entered their facility three weeks ago, according to clinic committee chair Geraldine Isaacs.

Councillor Abraham Isaacs said they had met district health and labour officials at the clinic on Monday.

“The nurses say they won’t work unless they have all their PPE, including suits that they can wear and take off.”

“The district officials said the hand sanitisers would arrive within the week,” Abraham said.

Nokwanele Nqwazi, 59, who is disabled, said she had arrived at the clinic at 5.30am to fetch her medication and did not know what she would do now.

Eastern Cape health department spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said the department appealed  to health workers to understand the ruthlessness of their faceless enemy — Covid-19.

“It will exploit the opportunity that is characterised by fear and frustration.

“Our people should take precautions as advised by authorities, wearing of masks appropriately, washing hands and limiting movements.

“The department continues to make every effort to provide PPE and the national [health] minister has also sent more than  R1.5m [worth of] masks to Nelson Mandela Bay.

“This enemy knows no politics, boundaries, class or colour.

“I plead with all health workers not to abandon their countrymen in this hour of need,” Kupelo said.