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DENOSA demands immediate withdrawal of unsafe NK95 facial masks from high-risk clinical areas by Health Department
Media statement
Monday, 14 December 2020
Following the extremely concerning findings of a study by the University of Cape Town (UCT) on 12 different brands of KN95 masks that are worn by healthcare workers as protection against COVID-19, which found that none of them met the stipulated safety requirements due to poor filtration efficacy and poor seal and filling of the masks, the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) is demanding immediate withdrawal of all the masks whose safety has not been determined.
In case the Department is refusing to withdraw the masks, DENOSA is consulting with its lawyers with the view to legally challenge and prevent the Department of Health from giving the KN95 masks to its members (nurses) working in COVID-19 units and other high risk areas until the Department produces proof that their masks are meeting the safety standards.
DENOSA’s concern is based on the fact that during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare workers such as nurses, doctors and community healthcare workers, contracted the virus at the time when there were many questions over the quality of PPE that government uses. Many of the healthcare workers succumbed to the virus. Many countries returned consignments of PPE that were handed by other countries on the basis of poor quality. South Africa did not have widely known cases where it returned consignments for poor quality.
Although its sample size is quite small, this scientific study, which is among the first of its kind, has provided some light on the question of quality of PPE that has been on circulation.
Our lawyers are looking into the study closely.
In the meantime, DENOSA urges all its shop stewards in facilities across the country to up their defense guard and demand proof of safety if nurses working in high risk areas like COVID-19 units are given the KN95 masks.
The study has recommended against the usage of the KN95 masks, and expressed concern that, given that there remain piles of boxes of these masks in institutions, these masks could be moved to other highly infectious and risky areas like TB units. DENOSA does not trust that the government will not move these masks elsewhere once COVID-19 pandemic has passed.
As the festive season is upon us at the time when the country is experiencing the second wave of COVID-19, DENOSA calls on the Department of Health to beef up the personnel numbers of nurses in facilities and to elongate the employment status of the contracted nurses and other healthcare workers working in COVID-19 units.
End
Issued by the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA)
For more information, contact:
Cassim Lekhoathi, DENOSA Acting General Secretary
Mobile: 082 328 9671
Simon Hlungwani, DENOSA President
Mobile: 082 328 9635
Tel: 012 343 2315
Website: www.denosa.org.za
Facebook: DENOSA National Page
Twitter: @DENOSAORG
