Strike set to delay release of HIV, TB tests results
It’s tools down as pathologists fight for more salaries
Processing of tests for HIV, TB and other infectious diseases could face delays as a countrywide wage strike by the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) workers gets into motion from today.
Yesterday, Nehawu served NHLS with a seven-day notice for a full-blown strike action by pathology professionals, which is expected to begin next Tuesday.
The workers will start with lunch-time pickets today outside all 288 NHLS labs, Nehawu spokesman Khaya Xaba said last night. They will do so until the full-blown strike next week.
NHLS is SA’s largest diagnostic pathology service, serving over 80% of the population through a network of labs. In its 2015/2016 financial year, it dealt with a record 3.7 million HIV viral load tests.
Should the strike go ahead, tests for HIV, cancer, malaria and TB will be delayed. This would cause ripple effects at hospitals as doctors would not be able to get full diagnosis for patients. Xaba said the strike comes after months of failure by the employer to give a counter offer to the 13% wage increase that unions have been demanding since April.
“We only read in the media that they were offering 3%, but they did not bother to come to us and make an offer,” said Xaba, whose union represents 60% of the workers.
Other unions involved include Health and Other Services Personnel Trade Union of South Africa and the Public Servants Association of SA.
Department of Health spokesman Joe Maila is aware of the pending strike. “Both parties have been locked in the meeting this afternoon [yesterday] in an effort to find each other. We are helping them in trying to avert the strike. I don’t want to get into how this will affect the health department.”
DA shadow minister for health Patricia Kopane has written to Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi requesting his urgent intervention to prevent the strike.
“Past tragedies have shown that the national Health Department’s inaction has been at the centre of too many crises in the healthcare sector,” said Kopane.