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The Eastern Cape Health Department on Tuesday confirmed that healthcare services at Dora Nginza Hospital “are back to normal” following a days-long disruptive strike at the institution.
Provincial spokesperson Mkhululi Ndamase answered the question with a “yes”, adding that “the protests stopped last [week] already”.
But the unrest at Dora Nginza – where nurses embarked on a 10-day demonstration because of overtime time they say they are owed – is not the only headache provincial health bosses are dealing with.
Provincial communications director Siyanda Manana said other issues include water challenges at Jose Pearson TB Hospital in Nelson Mandela Bay, an alleged cleanliness problem at a mortuary in New Brighton and infrastructure challenges at the clinic in Colchester.
He said the allegation that there’s no water Jose Pearson is not true.
“I want to categorically state that that is not true… the hospital has four JoJo tanks which a full to the brim. The only thing that happened was that on Thursday and Wednesday last week, the municipality was maintaining pipes nearby the hospitals [so] that’s then what interrupted water supply to the institution,” Manana said.
Regarding the state of the forensic pathology services facility in New Brighton, Manana said the department was moving with speeds to address the concern which was raised by the Department of Labour.
‘The Labour Department gave the ECDoH a prohibition notice [on Monday], which effectively means services will be temporarily stopped until the concerns raised are addressed.
“The concerns raised by the inspector include the cleanliness of the facility.
“Until the concerns are addressed, bodies will be dissected at the Gelvandale forensic pathology services facility to ensure there is service continuity,” the department said in a statement.
Manana said residents in Colchester were being provided with a mobile clinic, for the time being.
He said that fixing the dilapidated clinic would cost more than R3m, up from the R1.7m that was initially projected.
Manana said everything is on track for the nurses and employees who are owed overtime, to be paid their monies on or before 10 February 2025.
