“We are extremely concerned about the increasing levels of intimidation and the effect this is having on our ability to provide access to healthcare services to our patients. Our clinics, as the basic access points to our health service network, are soft targets and support services such as laundry supply are being affected. In some areas security is compromised and our staff is under siege. Our priority in this current situation is to focus our attention to support and sustain life and death situations.
We are concerned about the levels of intimidation of staff and have taken this into consideration with the creation of safety zones at certain identified health facilities” said Ms Sisi Mabe, MEC for Health today.
“We applaud the courageous efforts of many of our professionals and support staff as well as the tremendous support we’ve received from volunteer organisations and church groups to take our hands in this difficult period.” said Ms Mabe.
The management of the department is hard at work to ensure that necessary focus and priority is given to the safeguarding of the services we render and that include the safety of our staff, patients and health facilities. In any abnormal situation critical decisions are necessary and we cannot pretend that it is business as usual.
It is still our priority to support the primary healthcare network and in the areas where the primary health care facilities are fully functional, we call on patients to continue to use these facilities and services. In areas where there is a disruption we have capacitated our management to take critical decisions in support of these extraordinary circumstances. We call on antiretroviral (ARV) and chronic patients to always carry their patient cards and identity documents when using a health facility as these will assist us to continue your care no matter which facility you access. A dedicated toll free line has been set up for ARV (0800 012 322) and chronic patients (0800 53 55 54) to assist with any enquiries.
It is our desire that the current situation is resolved amicably as soon as possible but I need to warn intimidators and people acting criminally that they will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law when interfering with the right not to strike or the right to strike. The safety of our patients and staff is our utmost priority’ said Ms Mabe.
Enquiries:
Jabu Mbalula
Cell: 082 461 3112
