People seen outside Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital
The Democratic Alliance’s spokesperson on health Jack Bloom says the anger and frustration by picketing staff at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto south of Johannesburg are justifiable. There’s also a reported staffing backlog which is said to be exacerbated by the closure of the fire-damaged Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.“The reality is that COVID-19 or not COVID-19 our hospitals are desperately understaffed and they do need to be properly staffed with local doctors and nurses.
Therefore, the department will not be able to renew all the temporary contracts when their contracts end at the end of this month. Gauteng Health spokesperson Kwara Kekana, “In as much as the GDoH wants to keep all COVID-19 appointees to continue providing much-needed services, it is not possible to extend all the contracts without funding. The MEC added that the decision on which employees will be appointed will be based on service needs at each hospital and the availability of the budget in each facility.”