10 HEALTHCARE WORKERS DIE IN 2 MONTHS

SITEKI – About 10 healthcare workers have succumbed to COVID-19-related complications in the last two months.

This is for the period between December and January.

According to Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) President Bheki Mamba, 317 healthcare workers got infected with the virus.

Mamba urged government to prioritise the safety of health workers in this COVID-19 period through, among other things providing the essential personal protective equipment (PPE) and to shorten their working hours in highly exposed areas.

Infections

The president emphasised that the shortage of PPE had propelled the surge in the number of infections among their membership.

He said the association did not support an environment that exposes their members.

“It remains important in this second wave of the virus to supply frontline workers with PPE so that they also remain safe to the patients who come before them and be supplied with all the other necessities like sanitisers and equipment at all times. While we commend government’s effort in providing the vaccine for the population, we implore it to involve the health workers in particular, nurses to map up ways on how the health system can be strengthened,” he said.

He further appealed to government to make sure that the essential equipment to safeguard healthcare workers against contracting the virus was provided at all times.

Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi said it would remain government’s priority to put the lives of frontline workers first and ensure that PPE was adequately provided to all healthcare facilities countrywide.

Preventative

“We mourn the demise of everyone including our healthcare workers because they get infected in the line of duty. It is imperative that we continue to uphold the preventative methods as a nation and make sure that we keep the number of infections minimal. We cannot celebrate yet considering the current statistics, we have to be cognisant of the fact that the virus is still within us and we have to be cautious and maintain the precautionary measures,” she said.

The minister further implored the nation to continue practising the COVID-19 regulations as a measure to protect themselves and their families. 

Nkosi said the notable decline in the number of infections and deaths recently, should not bring smiles to the masses as yet, but should be a lesson that upholding the preventative methods yields positive results if correctly implemented.

“I would like to urge the nation to continue to practice social distancing, proper wearing of masks and always sanitising either at homes, workplace and when boarding public transport. That would assist the ministry in its effort of minimising the infection figures among the populace,” pleaded the minister.

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