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DENOSA Eastern Cape appalled by chain of closures of health facilities by community members who demand other basic services
Media statement
Wednesday, 24 June 2015
The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in Eastern Cape is appalled by recent spate of closures of health facilities in the province by community members who demand other forms of service delivery and appeals to community leaders to provide leadership in these misdirected actions.
Yesterday morning, community members around Madwaleni Hospital in Elliotdale in the Eastern Cape barricaded the road and locked the gate to the hospital and threw away the keys in demand of electricity. Critical patients and emergency vehicles could not enter or leave the hospital, and mothers in labour had to be assisted by locked staff members outside the facility. Night duty staff could not leave the facility and morning shift workers like nurses and other support staff could not report for duty at 07h00 and outpatient department remained empty until arrived at noon to open the gate.
DENOSA is concerned by this misdirected and counter-productive action by community members, as Madwaleni Hospital is the only hospital in that village town. Last week, similar incidences occurred at Sipethu Hospital in Ntabankulu which forced the hospital to shut down for two days as community members embarked on a service delivery protest; Similarly, community members at Flagstaff closed Holy Cross Hospital while demanding service delivery.
While the demands of community members are genuine, resorting to closure of essential service facilities or closing access to them is the action that DENOSA finds misdirected and ill-advised as the service they demand have no connection with health facilities at all.
In fact, DENOSA finds this action in gross violation of the country’s human right and constitution, the right to life. The very same community members who are party to closing the facilities and their relatives will need those when they get sick.
DENOSA appeals to both traditional and community leaders to provide leadership as this action by community members makes those who are sick the sacrifice for their demands, which is very cruel and unacceptable. The concern is that this action is spreading steadily throughout the province, and will become modus operandi by community members in other towns and villages where people will be deprived of critical healthcare service they need, and some will lose their lives.
Ends
Issued by the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in Eastern Cape
For more information, contact:
Khaya Sodidi, Acting Provincial Secretary for DENOSA in Eastern Cape
Mobile: 082 775 7734
Or
Sibongiseni Delihlazo, DENOSA Communications Manager
Mobile: 079 875 2663
Email: sibongisenid@denosa.org.za
Website: www.denosa.org.za
Facebook: DENOSA National Page
Twitter: @DENOSAORG
