Knysna Hospital weathers another protest

Update

KNYSNA NEWS - This week, the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) staged a march to Knysna Provincial Hospital to raise their grievances and dissatisfaction with the service at the hospital.

The union’s South Cape Karoo chairperson Loyiso Manaka said on Monday 9 July that their demands included a stop to the outsourcing of employees, reinstatement of retired staff and understaffed clinics.

“It is unfair of the hospital to recycle retired staff members who received their pension instead of hiring qualified and unemployed people who need jobs," he said.

One of the hospital workers at the march said, “It might look like this is a joke or we are trying to cause chaos but this is very serious for us… We are the ones who are overworked because the hospital is understaffed. We … face discrimination daily because we are black. Our skin is a great injustice to us.”

In his address at the hospital, Manaka said they will go house to house if they have to and get the town to stand in solidarity and voice their concerns.

“We demand 24-hour service at our clinics, and they need to tell us why ambulances need to be instructed from George to attend to patients in Knysna,” Manaka said.

ANC councillors were also part of the march and some EFF members too.

ANC councillor Victor Molosi also said a few words. "We need to protect our town and fight for what is right. The management of this hospital is all white, which is not a reflection of the demographics of the country or this town, and it is as though our people are not competent to do the job when they have the same qualifications.”

At the hospital, the memorandum was signed by clinical manager Dr Andries Brink who was flanked by police officers.

Hospital responds to maternity ward accusations
The Knysna Provincial Hospital has responded to numerous complaints from the community about the treatment they get at the hospital's maternity ward – which includes an incident where a pair of scissors were sewn into the body of a Ceasarian patient; a woman who was left to give birth on her own; and a patient who was discharged as she appeared "too calm" for labour and had to give birth in nearby veld.

Nehawu members upon arrival at the hospital.

On Thursday 5 July the hospital spokesperson Nadia Ferreira said it is difficult to give meaningful feedback without proper information.

She added, “Our labour ward is where most of our compliments come from… We are always open to constructive criticism and will try and improve where there are deficiencies.”

She also said that the state-of-the-art maternity ward is adequately staffed with an extremely competent maternity team who pride themselves on the service delivered to the almost 120 patients who give birth there each month, and that they are working on introducing antenatal classes at the hospital for expectant mothers.

Clinical manager Andries Brink signs receipt of a memorandum of grievances and demands handed to him. Photos: Nwabisa Pondoyi