SAMA concerned about overworked health workers ahead of festive season
The South African Medical Association (SAMA) says it is concerned about health worker fatigue as we enter the festive season.
On Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced several restrictions in Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape to help curb the expected spike in infections.
Nelson Mandela Bay has been identified as a hotspot and further restrictions have been placed on the metro.
SAMA's chairperson Dr Angelique Coetzee says they welcome the restrictions, however, the organisation is concerned about health worker fatigued.
"The problem is that PPE will always be an issue, but the biggest issue is the healthcare workers themselves are overworked at this stage. We have not seen a debriefing by social workers or clinical psychologists especially in the public sector helping them cope with what they are seeing.
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"And once you are fatigued you start distancing yourself to cope. There are not enough measures put in place to assist with this. At least every six weeks there should be debriefing sessions.
She says their major concern is that a lot of doctors are going on leave and the burden on the ones who are at work will increase.
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