The Department of Health says it will ensure the closure of clinics in Makhanda and Port Alfred by community health workers (CHWs) will not disrupt the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine locally. However, there is no scheduled date yet for the launch of the vaccination programme in Makhanda.
Clinics in Makhanda have been closed since Monday as community health workers again took to the streets to demand absorption as employees in the Department of Health. Their demands include permanent employment. Community Health Workers earn a stipend of R3 500 per month with no benefits.
As a contingency, patients have been diverted to Settlers Hospital and clinic staff temporarily redeployed there.
On Thursday a group of CHWs called Docrat and the Mayor to a meeting at Fingo Square, alongside National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) representatives.
“We are dying of Covid,” said one CHW. One person got sick and went to claim from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) only to discover that in her years and years of working she had never been registered with them.
“We want the Department to absorb us,” she said. “It’s been years and years we have been working for the government and every year they put us on contract. We need appointment letters, it’s as simple as that. “
“They want us to do the work, but they don’t care about us,” said another.
A particular grievance is that when a post comes up, the Department hires outside people instead of promoting CHWs to a post.
“I’ve been doing this work for 20 years,” said one of the CHWs. “I’m nearly 60 and there’s no retirement plan for me. Worse, when I die, my children will get nothing from those 20 years of working.”
Mayor Mzukisi Mpahlwa, who attended the meeting, said at a personal level, he had great sympathy for the plight of the CHWs.
“Some of them have been doing this work for the past 20 years without proper employment status and I’m sure the Labour Relations Act doesn’t allow that,” Mpahlwa said.
“Listening to them, I understand how it is to be in their shoes. They’re frustrated because three years after the National Task Team met in 2018, there’s still no report.
“And it is heartbreaking to hear of their co-worker dying – her family unable to afford a funeral for her and nothing to go to her children.”
But closing the clinics denied those who depend on their services their right to health care. If patients could not access care and medicine, it could be fatal.
“They are understandably emotional, but I don’t support closing clinics to the community. They should rather use other methods to raise their grievances,” Mpahlwa said.
Eastern Cape Department of Health spokesperson Siyanda Manana said the CHWs had been issued an ultimatum to return to work on Thursday.
“It’s illegal, it’s unlawful,” Manana said. “No one has the right to close clinics. If they don’t return to work today, we will have no alternative but to terminate their employment.”
Manana said a directive had been circulated that if opportunities for employment in the Department came up for people at their level, they should be given priority.
“With regard to their employment status as it stands, we are awaiting a directive from the national Department of Health and Public Service Administration.”
Manana said denying people access to services by closing the clinics was trampling on their constitutional rights.
Asked if the protests and clinic closure were likely to affect the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccination programme in Makhanda, Manana said there was no revised date yet for the launch of vaccinations here.
The vaccination of health workers was set to commence last week; however, the AsrtraZeneca vaccine ordered was found not to be effective against the new 501.v2 variant and the programme was put on hold.
The first batch of the replacement, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, arrived in the Eastern Cape this week. Provincial spokesperson Mvusiwekhaya Sicwetsha said in total, 6000 doses had arrived, with 4000 at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha and 2000 at Livingstone Hospital in Port Elizabeth.
The Eastern Cape Department of Health conducted a dry run before rolling out the vaccine to healthcare workers from Friday 19 February. Premier Oscar Mabuyane is scheduled to visit the Mthatha hospital today for the launch of the Province’s vaccination programme.
There is no certainty when the vaccination of health workers in Makhanda will begin; however, Manana said, “Once the provincial programme is launched, it will be come to other centres.”
This is the third time in the past few months community health workers have taken on the Department over their employment status. The most recent was in November when they handed a memorandum with their demands to Acting Makana Sub-district manager Mohamed Docrat. In July 2020, alongside other civic organisations, staged a protest outside the deparrtment’s offices in Bhisho.
Nehawu representatives at Thursday’s meeting between CHWs, Docrat and the Mayor refused to speak to GMDirect.
