NEHAWU statement on the outbreak of the coronavirus
9 March 2020
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] as a union organising in both public and private health notes the three confirmed cases of the novel Corona virus.
As NEHAWU, we want to unequivocally declare that our members will partake in all the processes of testing, quarantining and treating those who have come in contact with the virus. Our members are more than ready to assist our government and the Department of Health in confronting the virus and ensuring that there is immediate help for those who require medical attention. The department in return would have to ensure that our members receive all the necessary protective clothing and training in dealing with both confirmed and suspected cases of the virus. In this regard, we demand that the department ensures that workers have all the protective clothing and equipment they need when assisting patients to protect themselves from contracting the virus.
Our members who are at the coalface of treating those who may exhibit symptoms associated with the virus must receive all the necessary support that they will need in dealing with the outbreak of the virus in the country and they must be remunerated for overtime if they have to put in extra hours considering that our healthcare system is understaffed.
Support must also be provided for our members who are based in all the ports of entries where detection must take place as and when people enter our boarders. We have noted that our members in these workplaces have not been trained or educated to deal with the outbreak of the virus. In this regard, the national union will visit workplaces at the point of entries where our members are most likely to encounter the virus including airports, harbours and border gates to ensure that they are protected from contracting the virus.