A report on health care inequality says while the sector relies heavily on women, they are underpaid and forced to work long hours. The Star reports that Oxfam South Africa’s report states that unfair labour practices and underpaying nurses and community health-care workers compromises the health-care system, leaving it unable to deal with pandemics like COVID-19.
The report showed nurses and community health-care workers, two professions made up mostly of women, have had to work long hours in unstable conditions to make ends meet. This was an effort to curb the effects of stagnant pay.
Dr Basani Baloyi, inequality programme lead at Oxfam SA, said because of wage stagnation for nurses and the use of labour brokers, they found themselves working longer hours and moonlighting. This, the report said, lead to a tired workforce and to neglecting patients.
[link url="https://www.iol.co.za/the-star/news/fatigue-leads-health-care-worker-to-neglect-patients-as-theyre-forced-to-work-long-hours-for-low-pay-report-50214867"]Full report in The Star[/link]
[link url="https://www.oxfam.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Oxfam_Care4Carers-Report_Final_20200630.pdf"]Report[/link]