The MEC for Health in the Free State, Ms Montseng Tsiu, has a constitutional duty to ensure that patients are not affected by labour disputes that result in illegal strikes.
The strike by nurses at the Boitumelo Hospital in Kroonstad is illegal seeing as nursing is classified as an essential service in terms of the Labour Relations Act. Staff may not strike.
Still, it is lamentable that the Hospital's poor management and lack of resources have caused staff to feel like they need to strike.
Apart from the ongoing strike, the Hospital is also experiencing several other serious problems, including a food shortage, a lack of equipment and not enough cleaners.
The Hospital's generator, which is supposed to supply power to the renal unit and certain theatres, has been out of order for two weeks now.
As a result, operations and dialysis treatments are scheduled around load shedding timetables, which are not always accurate.
The FF Plus is particularly concerned that the Hospital's maternity ward may not have enough nursing staff on hand due to the strike.
And in the meantime, operational managers are working extra shifts in an attempt to at least provide essential medical services to patients.
In an official letter to the MEC, the FF Plus demands that she must urgently intervene in the Hospital's terrible conditions and poor management, because patients are being disadvantaged.
If the MEC fails to take drastic action to restore and improve medical service delivery at the Boitumelo Hospital, the FF Plus will have no choice but to institute further steps against her.
Government must do everything in its power to ensure that patients receive quality healthcare within the framework of the Bill of Rights.
;
