Dying diggers of Namaqualand need saving
| by Dr Isak Fritz, MPL – DA Northern Cape Spokesperson of Health |
| Date: 24 August 2020 |
| Release: Immediate |
| The Democratic Alliance (DA) is concerned by reports that EPWP workers are standing in as nursing assistants in under-capacitated clinics in the Northern Cape and we have asked the MEC of Health, Maruping Lekwene, to investigate this.The allegations came to light last week as staff shortages, aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic, wreak havoc on health care services in the districts. In this regard, it was brought to the DA’s attention that in some clinics, sisters are apparently being given permission to train EPWP workers to do urine, blood pressure and even sugar tests on patients.We understand the dire need for assistance at clinics. At one clinic, a single sister is responsible for seeing up to between 80 and 100 patients per day. There is no denying that she is in a desperate situation and in dire need of help. However, making use of EPWP workers to perform health-related tasks, that require specialised training, is worrying indeed.In the first place, the legality of such an initiative is highly questionable.Secondly, it compromises the actual quality of the testing being done. This was demonstrated in a specific incident last week whereby the high blood pressure of a sick woman who was visiting the clinic, was not picked up. It was later established that the woman’s blood pressure was in fact sky high. The failure on the part of the health system to pick this up could have resulted in the woman having a stroke.Thirdly, using EPWP workers to access patient files, is a threat to patient confidentiality and could easily lead to a breach of confidential patient information, further exposing the health department to even more lawsuits against it.It is increasingly clear that staff shortages in health facilities are at crisis point. While we appreciate the appointment of additional health professionals to the province, as stated by the department, these appointments cannot be seen in the rural areas, especially at our smaller clinics.The DA therefore appeals to MEC Lekwene to do more to appoint additional doctors and nurses in the districts. In fact, all other departmental appointments should take a backseat, as funds for compensation of employees are rather channelled towards appointments of health professionals, as they are the lifeblood of health care services, not administrators. |
| Media Enquiries |
| Dr Isak Fritz, MPLDA Northern Cape Spokesperson of Health083 395 2737 Shelley de WittResearcher0828471387 |
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