By Kefiloe Kajane
The ministry of health says preparations are at an advanced stage to employ and absorb 276 nurses that were fired by Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital in March this year.
QMMH is a public-private partnership managed by the Tṧepong Consortium, led by Netcare, a leading South African health care provider. The facility and the associated filter clinics at Qoaling, Mabote, and Likotsi were part of the government of Lesotho’s strategic push to improve maternal health, reduce child mortality and combat HIV/AIDS.
Health minister Semano Sekatle, yesterday announced that the fired nurses will be employed by the ministry and will be deployed to various hospitals and clinics in the country.
“The nurses are going to be a good fit in the system because they are well trained. They will all be absorbed by May 1. They are catered for under the 2021/2122 budget for nurses that we were planning to hire,” he said.
The ministry of health’s director of health ‘Nyane Letsie said they have already made the necessary arrangements with all clinics in the country, and that all that is left is for the nurses to start work in May.
The Lesotho Nurses Association president Raphael Tlali said they are delighted with the government’s decision, as nurses had been waiting for a long time for this moment.
The nurses were dismissed from work following a protracted industrial action over improved pay and working conditions. In a bid to get the nurses to return to work, the hospital sought intervention of the Labour Court, which in turn directed the striking nurses to go back to work while negotiations with their employ proceed.
However, the nurses ignored the Labour Court’s ruling and the hospital – commonly known as Tṧepong – subsequently fired them with immediate effect.
Shortly after the dismissal, government announced its intention to sever all ties with Tšepong (Pty) Ltd which manages QMMH.
However, the Tṧepong consortium which manages the hospital responded by accusing the government of defaulting on the public private partnership agreement that governs the hospital.
“Netcare notes the alleged media statements by the minister of health of government’s intention to terminate the 18-year-long public private partnership agreement, which is now in its 13th year.
“Netcare remains committed to providing Basotho citizens with the best and safest care, and will keep engaging the government on these issues in an effort to avoid any disruption to service delivery.”
The Group indicated that the Tṧepong board, on February 22, held a special board meeting which was attended by Netcare, Afrinnai, D10, WIC and Excel which unanimously resolved that Tšepong had no option but to maintain the current terms of employment and continue with the arbitration process.
It further stated that, given that the arbitration process has commenced and the critical need to continue providing essential healthcare services to the Basotho, the striking staff were encouraged to return to work.
“Tšepong remains sympathetic to the rights of workers as well as the staff’s grievances. Regrettably, the funding required to restore parity falls outside of what is affordable to Tšepong. Despite Tšepong continuously imploring staff to have faith in the arbitration process and to return to work, 265 staff members (and not 345 as reported in the media) elected not to return to work and were subsequently dismissed.
“Many nursing staff, however, did not participate in the illegal strike, maintained faith in the arbitration process, and continued to provide services during this uncertain period. Hospital services have therefore continued, and the health and safety of patients remain the hospital management and staff’s priority, especially during these difficult Covid-19 times.”
Despite these protests, stakeholders across the spectrum of society welcomed government’s decision as a long overdue move that will go a long way to saving taxpayers’ money and restoring Basotho’s faith in the country’s health system.
Netcare – which received a unitary payment of M52-million every month from the government of Lesotho – had constantly come under fire from senior ministry of health officers for not investing significantly towards strengthening Tṧepong’s capacity to handle the Covid-19 outbreak.
