Harare Hospital Nurses Refused To Work Today Because Of Lack Of PPE - Report
Harare Hospital now known as Sally Mugabe Hospital nurses reportedly refused to work at the hospital today due to lack of professional Protective Equipment PPE, ZimLive reports.
This reportedly came after one of the hospital matrons succumbed to suspected COVID-19 after working a night shift on Sunday.
According to ZimLive:
Matron Miriam Pundu fell sick after working a shift on Sunday, before succumbing to the respiratory illness.
The nurses from the hospital’s maternity wing said they would not go back to work until they were provided with sufficient protective personal equipment (PPE) to work safely.
The hospital said it had declared its antenatal ward a “red zone” and shut it down to allow for fumigation procedures.
One of the nurses spoke to Newsday and explained why they had walked out on the government today. The nurse said they were scared to contract COVID since some of their colleagues had contracted the virus and their matron succumbed to suspected COVID-19:
Maternity ward nurses bemoan unavailability of PPE at Sally Mugabe Hospital after Matron Pugu succumbed to #Covi19. Concern has been raised over manipulation of #Covid19 test results .@wisdomdzungairi
📹 @stozvirevaa & @EvansMathanda19 pic.twitter.com/HmIX90IhrR
— NewsDay Zimbabwe (@NewsDayZimbabwe) January 7, 2021
ZimLive further reports that a Principal Nursing officer Lucy Godzongere even accused the nurses of overreacting when she addressed them outside the hospital and said:
What’s the fuss about? Mukuda kuonererwa (you think you’re special cases)
Zimbabwe Nurses Association ZINA reportedly told nurses that:
There is massive panic amongst our colleagues at the hospital, particularly nurses working at casualty and it’s a pity that most nurses are testing positive for Covid and nothing is being done, and this is being kept secret by management
While ZINA told the publication that nurses are being threatened by their superiors:
The Covid-19 situation at the hospital is dire. A lot of nurses are coming to my inbox saying they’re having symptoms. There is one Matron Guduza at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital who went to the Staff Clinic today and instructed the doctor not to give sick leave to nurses who are not feeling well, although most of them have Covid-19 symptoms.
One of the nurses collapsed at work after being told to go back to work. This matron was at the forefront when nurses apologised to the government for going on strike
The government has not commented on the issue for now.
More: ZimLive
