Fired Nurses will be Sorely Missed

February 14, 2007

Public hospitals in KZN are under additional pressure after the provincial Department of Health hastily dismissed 728 nurses on the 2nd of February 2007.

"This harsh and uncalculated decision of blanket firing of all nurses who were absent from work during the strike period - including nurses who were on leave and those who were intimidated into participating in the illegal industrial action - has had a devastating impact on the province's fragile health system, which could collapse because the dismissed conscripts are the backbone of the health service," said IFP KZN Provincial Spokesperson on Health, Dr Bonginkosi Buthelezi.

Dr Buthelezi also said:

"The IFP in KZN finds it hard to believe the Hon. Health MEC's statement that the affected hospitals are coping well with the recruitment of student nurses and contract nurses hired from agencies.  Such statements fly in the face of what is happening on the ground and are nothing short of 'sugarcoating the truth'.

"It is unfair to overburden the remaining staff who work under impossible conditions under the pretext of glorified slavery of volunteerism and patients have to endure long queues and sub-standard healthcare.

"The IFP is concerned that patients could get hurt if overworked health professionals make bad decisions and urges the appointed tribunal which is tasked with investigating the dismissal of 728 nurses to speed up the process and consider setting aside the sanction of dismissal for the sake of the health of the people of this province."

Many large hospitals such as Ngwelezane, Prince Mshiyeni Memorial and Edendale already struggle to fill vacant posts and are likely to be hardest hit when there are even fewer nurses to go round.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dr Bonginkosi Buthelezi
082 516 0156