Durban — An ambulance and crew transporting a critical child were allegedly attacked by striking nurses at a KwaZulu-Natal hospital on Wednesday morning.
“While transporting a critical child, under the care of IPSS Medical advanced life support to Stanger Hospital (General Justice Gizenga Mpanza Regional Hospital), our ambulance was attacked by striking nurses at the entrance of the hospital, attempting to forcefully remove the young patient from our ambulance,” said IPSS Medical Rescue managing director Dylan Meyrick.
“Crews managed to get through to the casualty with the patient and are now being prevented from leaving.”
Meyrick added that local security companies were expected to be on the scene and attempt to safely remove the ambulance and crews.
Since the start of the week, there have been wage increase protests in various healthcare facilities in KwaZulu-Natal.
It is believed that the protests intensified on Tuesday as patients were left stranded as healthcare workers demanded a 10% salary increase.
National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) workers forbade anyone to get into the hospital following their national strike, demanding a 10% salary increase. The government has offered 3%.
At Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, some patients were standing outside the hospital gate looking defeated while the Nehawu workers were singing Struggle songs. The patients said they had gotten to the hospital in the early hours of the morning but were not allowed to get in.
The Nehawu strike happened simultaneously at various hospitals across the country. Healthcare workers at Greys’ Hospital in Pietermaritzburg feared for their lives as the strike turned violent.
Nehawu workers were also striking outside the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital. However, branch secretary Skhumbuzo Gumbi said theirs was peaceful as they understood the impact of shutting down a hospital.
The KZN Department of Health said it was experiencing ongoing disruptions to normal operations at some of its health facilities, mainly in the eThekwini, uThukela and uMgungundlovu districts, as a result of the strike.
KZN Health HOD Dr Sandile Tshabalala said Emergency Medical Services in and around eThekwini and at King Cetshwayo had reported serious challenges with moving around and transporting patients to and from healthcare facilities.
“The department reminds all employees that, as healthcare professionals, they are classified as essential services. This means they are legally prohibited from embarking on industrial action. Contravention of this law could have dire circumstances for all individuals involved,” he said.
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