It was still too early to gauge the effect of the strike at the National Health Laboratory Service laboratories by the majority of its workforce.
The Education‚ Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) and the Public Servants Association (PSA) went on a protected strike in support of various demands for improvement to their salaries and conditions of service.
The NHLS‚ which provides laboratory and related public health services to over 80% of the population through a national network of laboratories‚ said it could not offer the full basket of its services from Wednesday morning.
It said its provincial area managers would be working with their counterparts in the provincial health departments to address challenges that were specific to their provinces.
“The ultimate aim is to ensure that all emergency tests are prioritised to minimise the effect of this strike action on patient care‚” acting CEO Dr Shabir Madhi said.
NHLS said the doctor treating the patient was the one deciding what should be regarded as “emergency” depending on the condition of the patient.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng said patients’ lives could be at risk if there were delays in tests for HIV/Aids‚ malaria‚ cancer‚ and multi-drug resistant TB. It said patients would be inconvenienced by waiting for results of many other blood tests.
DA health spokesman in Gauteng‚ Jack Bloom‚ said private laboratories should be used as much as possible. However‚ he warned they would probably not cope with all the tests for state patients.
“It is early days to gauge the impact of the strike as doctors are asking for tests now. I will have a clearer picture by tomorrow‚” Bloom said.
NHLS said its biggest challenge facing the service was non-payment by provincial health departments for laboratory services rendered by the NHLS.
It singled out the Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal health departments as the biggest defaulters but said KwaZulu-Natal had been paying for their current consumption since the 2016/2017 financial year.
In a written reply to a question posed by the DA in the Gauteng Legislature‚ health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa said the department owed R696m to the NHLS.
Nehawu spokesman Khaya Xaba said 5‚000 of its members at NHLS went on strike.
“We are continuing tomorrow and hope our members keep the momentum to show the employers we are not playing games‚” Xaba said.
Xaba said if management wanted to engage with them‚ the union remained available.
The unions are demanding‚ among other things‚ an annual salary increase of 7.3%‚ a housing allowance of R2‚000 and a R50 shift allowance.
Xaba said other issues that had not been addressed by the employer include the housing allowance and insourcing of other workers‚ which is “very important to us”.
PSA deputy general manager Tahir Maepa said the first day of the strike went beyond “our expectations” and said Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal laboratories were the most affected by the strike.
Too early to gauge impact of lab strike
It was still too early to gauge the effect of the strike at the National Health Laboratory Service laboratories by the majority of its workforce.
The Education‚ Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) and the Public Servants Association (PSA) went on a protected strike in support of various demands for improvement to their salaries and conditions of service.
The NHLS‚ which provides laboratory and related public health services to over 80% of the population through a national network of laboratories‚ said it could not offer the full basket of its services from Wednesday morning.
It said its provincial area managers would be working with their counterparts in the provincial health departments to address challenges that were specific to their provinces.
“The ultimate aim is to ensure that all emergency tests are prioritised to minimise the effect of this strike action on patient care‚” acting CEO Dr Shabir Madhi said.
NHLS said the doctor treating the patient was the one deciding what should be regarded as “emergency” depending on the condition of the patient.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng said patients’ lives could be at risk if there were delays in tests for HIV/Aids‚ malaria‚ cancer‚ and multi-drug resistant TB. It said patients would be inconvenienced by waiting for results of many other blood tests.
DA health spokesman in Gauteng‚ Jack Bloom‚ said private laboratories should be used as much as possible. However‚ he warned they would probably not cope with all the tests for state patients.
“It is early days to gauge the impact of the strike as doctors are asking for tests now. I will have a clearer picture by tomorrow‚” Bloom said.
NHLS said its biggest challenge facing the service was non-payment by provincial health departments for laboratory services rendered by the NHLS.
It singled out the Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal health departments as the biggest defaulters but said KwaZulu-Natal had been paying for their current consumption since the 2016/2017 financial year.
In a written reply to a question posed by the DA in the Gauteng Legislature‚ health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa said the department owed R696m to the NHLS.
Nehawu spokesman Khaya Xaba said 5‚000 of its members at NHLS went on strike.
“We are continuing tomorrow and hope our members keep the momentum to show the employers we are not playing games‚” Xaba said.
Xaba said if management wanted to engage with them‚ the union remained available.
The unions are demanding‚ among other things‚ an annual salary increase of 7.3%‚ a housing allowance of R2‚000 and a R50 shift allowance.
Xaba said other issues that had not been addressed by the employer include the housing allowance and insourcing of other workers‚ which is “very important to us”.
PSA deputy general manager Tahir Maepa said the first day of the strike went beyond “our expectations” and said Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal laboratories were the most affected by the strike.
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