The union, led by its provincial secretary, André Harmse, allege the hospital located in Phuthaditjhaba has not procured the required personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff, nor abided by any of the health and safety regulations. 

These guidelines include the screening of staff and hospital visitors daily as well as testing when necessary. 

Hospersa bases their allegations on an oversight visit they conducted over a week ago, just as the hospital was about to cancel visiting hours, following an outbreak of the coronavirus at the hospital. 

This is the second union in recent days that has lashed out at the hospital management and the provincial health department as a whole for their handling of the situation at the hospital.

Nine officials at the hospital, including four employees in the Human Resource Department, three doctors and two nurses, have tested positive for Covid-19. 

The Public Servants Association of South Africa (PSA) last week lashed out at the Free State Health MEC, Montseng Tsiu, for not being on top of the situation at the hospital, alleging she failed to provide a detailed report on the situation in the Qwaqwa region with regards to the coronavirus pandemic. 

The Free State Health Department, on the other end, refutes these allegations with spokesperson Mondli Mvambi saying “since the first case of Covid-19 at Manapo Hospital, the management of the hospital has been transparent about how Covid-19 is managed at the hospital”. They now screen staff daily and decontaminate exposed surfaces regularly. Mvambi condemned the employees calling for hospitals to be closed due to active cases. He concluded by saying the department has always acted in the best interest of patients.

Hospersa alleges the hospital has not been adhering to health and safety regulations since March and demand that the facility be decontaminated as a matter of urgency. It is alleged the Free State Health Department cancelled visiting hours at the said hospital last week to curb the spread of the virus, but this is yet to be confirmed by the department.

At present, the Free State has 347 active cases of Covid-19, with nine confirmed deaths as confirmed by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize’s office.

OFM News