Mkhize: ‘No PPE, no work’
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has lobbied healthcare workers to down tools if protective gear is not available to them during the fight against Covid-19.
Mkhize spoke on a Covid-19 panel on Monday, where he reiterated the importance of protecting doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers.
The minister’s remarks come amid rolling protests by the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) over a lack of PPE.
He told the Gauteng GP Collaboration that he’s aware of the concerns by frontliners of the possible risk to exposure while on duty.
“The people who know where the shoe pinches are those who are in the frontline, irrespective of the assurances that you may be getting that everything is in order.”
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CEO of Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital Gladys Bogoshi says they have seen a sharp increase in trauma patients since booze went back on sale. "Now the numbers are going up again, the past weekend was not as bad as the first time but we know that next week (coming weekend) especially because it's month-end, we are going to see a lot of increase in trauma cases.
Mkhize said he has engaged with labour unions to confront these concerns.
“In the best interest of the patients, it is imperative that we find one another as government and labour and engage robustly on issues that are causing concern for healthcare workers.
“I have sat through with a number of unions and at this point I have said if there is any one health worker who is raising a concern of safety, that matter must be taken seriously,” Mkhize said.
At least 27 000 healthcare workers have been infected by Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic.
“We have taken a slogan that says ‘no PPE, no work’ because we want to encourage all those that are in the leadership to take the issue of the protection of health workers very seriously.”
