Denosa: Nurses go to work without knowing if they’ll survive
Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) has paid tribute to the thousands of nurses across the country who have been at the forefront of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Denosa president Simon Hlungwane paid tribute to frontline healthworkers on International Nurses Day.
He said nurses are fighting the pandemic on a daily basis without knowing if they're survive.
“Today we are appreciating the nurses of South Africa who were there when it was difficult, who were there when it was scary. Who were there when they did not know whether they would leave their homes for the last time.
“When many of their colleagues died, when many of their colleagues became their patients under their care they still continued to take care of them.
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“Many of them have turned Covid-19 positive and some survived. When their colleagues die you begin to think am I going to be next. Or you ask when am I going to be next, but nurses still woke up and went to work the next day.”
Thus far, over 414 000 Covid-19 vaccines have been administered to healthcare workers across the country.
As the government gears up for phase two of the Covid-19 vaccination programme that is set to begin on Monday, Deputy Minister Joe Phaahla said South Africans must prepare for the imminent third wave.
“We have to remain vigilant and ready to handle this imminent third wave. It’s for this reason that we have to appreciate the pivotal role of the health workforce led by our nurses.
“But we decided that when we are able to have the first batch of vaccines as part of the phase three b trial we made sure that it is made to the health workforce which majority happen to be nurses.”
