On Monday, nurses stopped work at the Dutywa Health Centre after a nurse tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday. Photo: Mbulelo Sisulu
12 May 2020
On Monday, nurses stopped work at the Dutywa Health Centre in Idutywa, seat of the Mbhashe Municipality in Amatole, Eastern Cape. A nurse, who wished to remain anonymous, said this was because a nurse at the centre had tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday.
She said the nurse had fallen very ill and was rushed to a private hospital in East London where she was tested.
“We took a decision that we down tools today until we know our status,” she said. “We asked our bosses to be tested too, because we want to know our status … But our bosses are refusing to test us.”
“If we are positive we want to be quarantined. If we are negative, we are ready to go back to work,” she said.
The nurse said she felt “government only focused on the people who live in the cities”. “I am very worried, because poor people of the villages are not clear about this virus. I am saying this because not all people do have TV and radio in the village so that they can listen about this virus.”
Eastern Cape Health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said he had been unaware of the situation. “We are going to make a follow-up on this matter. We are going to clean their working place,” he said.
He said that because a staff member had tested positive, the other staff members who had been in contact with them would be tested.