Arm bands to show doctors’ duty hours

The South African Medical Association has stepped up its efforts to have doctors’ working hours reduced, and has asked its members to wear coloured arm bands to indicate how long they have been on duty. Red indicates a doctor has been working for more than 30 hours, orange indicates between 24 and 30 hours, and a green arm band indicates less than 24 hours. Association chairman Mzukisi Grootboom said doctors could not continue putting in extra hours to the detriment of patients and their own health while vacancies were not filled.