denosa
Hundreds of Eastern Cape nurses whose contracts were not renewed when their community services contracts expired, will now be absorbed into the provincial Health Department.
This was announced following a meeting on Wednesday night between the Premier, Lubabalo Mabuyane, Director-General Mbulelo Sogoni, and the Departments of Health and Provincial Treasury.
“All districts have been requested to submit their needs so that the nurses could be placed where their services are mostly and desperately needed. This process is expected to be concluded this week with the nurses expected to report for duty next week,” said Health Department spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo.
“The nurses will also be part of the health workers who will receive the lifesaving COVID-19 vaccine from Tuesday,” he added.
The nurses, some of whom are members of the nursing union Denosa, were up in arms when their contracts were not renewed at a time when the country and the province was battling the Covid19 pandemic.
Nathaniel Mabelebele, of Denosa’s Student Movement, said “young workers never asked for Covid19 contracts. They want job security,” he said.
Kupelo said the Department apologised to the nurses and the communities they served “for the inconvenience caused by this confusion” over their contracts.
“We value and appreciate the work they have done in the fight against COVID-19. Now that the confusion has been resolved, it is all hands on deck in the province as the virus has not yet been defeated,” he said.
