MISUNDERSTOOD

Media coverage on public health hospitals in the Nelson Mandela Bay have left majority of professional nurses in the region outraged. Nurses at the Provincial Hospital in P.E state the media has always reported one side, leaving no consideration of getting their side of the matter. Quality care and service is always a serious concern of medical and nursing professional.

Although the state contributes about 40% of all expenditure on health, the public health sector is under pressure to deliver services to about 80% of the population. Despite this, most resources are concentrated in the private health sector, which sees to the health needs of the remaining 20% of the population. Public health consumes around 11% of the government's total budget, which is allocated and spent by the nine provinces. How these resources are allocated, and the standard of health care delivered, varies from province to province.

Nurses in the public sector experiencing matter that are beyond their line of duty for example Nurses are expected to train student nurses and asset them with practical’s as well as serving patients who are in need of health services.  Dr. W Maqqgi who is the Senior Medical Superintendent says the biggest problem by far is funding and short stuff. “People expect us to deliver and with the human right that is true but we as professionals expect the government to fund us with every equipment possible but sadly that is not true.”

South Africa is very popular in the international community for doctors and nurses which puts a great disadvantage not only to the hospitals but also the patients. Many nurses including doctors leave the country not because the want to but because of the better working conditions other countries provide like reasonable salaries and great communication with the management and government.  Mrs. Moss who is the Head of Department in the Nurses division says the shortage of staff with a subsequent increase in workload for the remaining nursing staff, negatively impacts on the delivery of patient care and increase the level of job dissatisfaction.

It is time to put a stop on blaming who did this and who did not do that, the less we complain and start working together the better our health services will be in future.