Eastern Cape premier visits East London private hospitals following nurses' Covid-19 complaints

Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane is visiting private hospitals in East London after the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) raised a number of allegations against their handling of the coronavirus pandemic in the province.

Last month, Denosa provincial secretary Khaya Sodidi said most health workers, including 70% of nurses, who tested positive for Covid-19 worked at private health facilities.

Sodidi said the private sector was the biggest culprit as they failed to protect their front-line workers.

There were also allegations that some workers at Life Hospitals in East London were told to work despite testing positive for the virus.

Adressing the media outside St Dominic's Hospital on Wednesday morning, Mabuyane said: “There are lots of allegations flying around so I'm here to see what  people are complaining about because other people can make wild allegations, but if hospitals don't comply, then we have a problem.

“We can't just fold our arms because this is a private sector. We are here so that everyone abides by the rules and regulations. Where there is wrong there must be consequences.”

Mabuyane is currently in a meeting with the hospital's management.

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