A source at Tafalofefe hospital said two of their colleagues who were in contact with a hospital clerk who died last week had since tested positive. One of these staffers, a driver, was asked not to tell his status to his colleagues.
“We are not going to tolerate this nonsense. We cannot be treated like this while our colleagues are told not to report cases. This is going to kill workers who are on the front line. We are not going to have this, no,” the woman said.
“A colleague has been forced to keep quiet.”
On Monday, medical personnel at Tafalofefe protested and demanded they be provided with PPE including aprons, boots, gowns and head gear.
“All we have is gloves and face shields. We are fighting this battle with our bare hands.”
The two health workers' cases were reported to Denosa.
Confirming the complaints, Denosa provincial secretary Khaya Sodidi said these were not isolated incidents in the Eastern Cape.
“We are facing a challenge where managers are telling staff to keep mum and not say a word. It's happening all over the province now,” said Sodidi.
Sodidi said the Eastern Cape health department had run out of ideas to contain Covid-19.
“The province has poor management who are incapable of handling this pandemic and as a result people are dying. Our members are told to keep quiet and not tell their colleagues. First they were told not to report patients who have tested positive and when we fought that, now they are told to keep mum and get special leave,” said Sodidi.
“When the minister (Zweli Mkhize) visited us here, he said the numbers were not adding up. These managers are encouraging this spread and the numbers in the Eastern Cape are out of control. We will lose more in this province.”
Provincial health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo had not responded to queries by print deadline on Monday.
Covid-19: Eastern Cape health staff told to stay silent about testing positive
Image: Reuters
Health workers in the Eastern Cape are being told by managers not to reveal their positive Covid-19 status in case this leads to their colleagues staying away from work.
At least two — one a nurse and the other a driver — have allegedly been told to keep their status hidden, but nurses union Denosa says such cases are widespread in the province.
The two workers work at Butterworth and Tafalofefe hospitals.
A source at Butterworth hospital told DispatchLIVE a colleague in the maternity ward was told not to report her status.
“We are told not to tell our colleagues about our results. These senior officials are desperate to hide this while people are dying,” said the source.
Six other health workers in the Butterworth maternity ward have tested positive for the virus, although it is believed they were not infected by their colleague.
Since Friday, staff in the maternity ward have refused to work.
“We want this entire maternity ward to be deep cleaned and decontamination done. If we have seven workers positive, what about the parents who gave birth? What about those infants, are they safe?”
A source at Tafalofefe hospital said two of their colleagues who were in contact with a hospital clerk who died last week had since tested positive. One of these staffers, a driver, was asked not to tell his status to his colleagues.
“We are not going to tolerate this nonsense. We cannot be treated like this while our colleagues are told not to report cases. This is going to kill workers who are on the front line. We are not going to have this, no,” the woman said.
“A colleague has been forced to keep quiet.”
On Monday, medical personnel at Tafalofefe protested and demanded they be provided with PPE including aprons, boots, gowns and head gear.
“All we have is gloves and face shields. We are fighting this battle with our bare hands.”
The two health workers' cases were reported to Denosa.
Confirming the complaints, Denosa provincial secretary Khaya Sodidi said these were not isolated incidents in the Eastern Cape.
“We are facing a challenge where managers are telling staff to keep mum and not say a word. It's happening all over the province now,” said Sodidi.
Sodidi said the Eastern Cape health department had run out of ideas to contain Covid-19.
“The province has poor management who are incapable of handling this pandemic and as a result people are dying. Our members are told to keep quiet and not tell their colleagues. First they were told not to report patients who have tested positive and when we fought that, now they are told to keep mum and get special leave,” said Sodidi.
“When the minister (Zweli Mkhize) visited us here, he said the numbers were not adding up. These managers are encouraging this spread and the numbers in the Eastern Cape are out of control. We will lose more in this province.”
Provincial health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo had not responded to queries by print deadline on Monday.
Covid-19 takes its toll on doctors, nurses & health workers in Western Cape
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