health

Jan. 11, 2021

LINEO MABEKEBEKE

2 min read

Nurses demand complete shutdown of Lesotho

Nurses demand complete shutdown of Lesotho

THe Queen 'Mamohato Memorial Hospital

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DISGRUNTLED members of the Lesotho Nursing Association (LNA) have called for a total shutdown of the country, urging Prime Minister Dr Moeketsi Mojoro to intensify restrictions because the country is not ready to handle the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

President of LNA Raphael Tlali said most of the local health institutes including hospitals and clinics operate under poor conditions with insufficient supply of oxygen, running water and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

In a letter addressed to the Queen ’Mamohato Memorial Hospital (QMMH) commonly known as Tšepong, Mr Tlali has called for immediate salary hikes for members of LNA, including nurses and assistant nurses.

The remunerations, he said should not in any way be lower than the government salary scales.

“For a very long time, nurses and assistant nurses working for the Queen ’Mamohato Memorial Hospital have been under-paid, yet they are the backbone of the health care system in Lesotho.

“They work long hours and all hospitals and clinics refer patients to them but they are the least remunerated,” Mr Tlali said in letter written on Monday.

Apart from that, he said there are health workers who are in the frontline of COVID-19, requesting that they be remunerated accordingly for the dedication they have shown to their respective organisations and the nation at large.

“COVID-19 is dangerous and is costing them their lives, the least their organisations can do is to compensate them accordingly,” he also said, adding that all professionals in other sectors, who work in the frontline in the fight against COVID-19, should also be properly compensated.

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“Some of the nurses and assistant nurses whose contracts were renewed in October 2020, have not yet received their monies to date, and if they continue not getting paid, there will be no services provided after a period of one week from now.

He therefore warned all health care providers to always protect themselves and their families from the pandemic, urging them to stay away from situations that compromise their safety.

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