‘WE WILL SHUT DOWN HOSPITALS IF...’

MBABANE – Over 200 nurses marched to deliver a petition to the PM Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini yesterday and threatened to down tools today if their concerns are not addressed. INSET: A nurse dances in the middle of the road. (Pics: Sithembile Hlatshwayo)

MBABANE – Nurses bid farewell to the Prime Minister, Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini yesterday, assuring him that if their concerns were not addressed, they will shut down all hospitals starting from today.
Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) President Bheki Mamba warned government to take their visit seriously.

Mamba said it was the second time they visited Cabinet offices and no one in government showed concern about their issues.
The nurses are demanding immediate intervention from the Prime Minister’s office regarding the Mkhuzweni Health Centre investigations.
About 200 nurses took part in the march. They said if not attended to, the matter may result in unhealthy relations, which may grossly affect service delivery in all health institutions countrywide.
According to Mamba, yesterday was the last time they visited the PM.

He said they had resolved that if it was government’s decision to ignore and look down upon nurses in the country, as of today, they would do same by downing tools.
According to Mamba, no one in government was bothered by the same petition they delivered at the PM’s Office in 2015.
Mamba said government would not like what would follow next with its continued evasiveness.

“Lokutawulandzela sitawufaka leligiya lesingeke sisalikhipha.” Loosely translated; they will proceed with their resolution to ignore patients in the country’s hospitals by downing tools.
Mamba said last Wednesday during a conference, nurses resolved that it was the last time they set foot at the Cabinet offices but what would happen was that hospitals would not be operational.
He said visiting the Cabinet offices did not excite him but they were seriously concerned as nurses about the treatment they were getting from the ministry of health.

“We consider it as government’s position to look down upon nurses in the country,” Mamba said.
He said even at the PM’s office, they were ignored.

He said this had resulted in them taking the resolution not to attend to any patients as of today.

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