Coronavirus medical laboratory technicians in
Swaziland (eSwatini) stopped work in protest that they were not given personal
protective equipment while they were working.
Separately, regional response teams who are tracing
people who have come into contact with the virus stopped work demanding extra
risk payments.
As a result all coronavirus (COVID-19) tests were
halted across the kingdom on Monday (1 June 2020). More
than 60 technicians at Mbabane Government Hospital – the only
coronavirus testing facility in Swaziland – delivered a petition directed to
Director of Health Services Dr Vusi Magagula.
They argued they had risked their lives from the start
of the coronavirus crisis and still did not have personal protective equipment
(PPE), including head covers, eye shields, masks, scrubs, disposable coats,
aprons, shoe covers, sanitisers, soap and a sink.
They said if they did not get the PPE they would shut
down all 97 public laboratories in the kingdom. There are 267 technicians.
The Swazi Government does not consider the technicians
to be an essential service during the coronavirus crisis and therefore they are
not supplied with PPE.
Meanwhile, regional response
teams in the Manzini and Shiselweni regions stopped
work in protest after failing to get responses from the Ministry
of Health to their demands for risk and overtime payments. Contact tracing and
screening were halted.
They are also concerned about a lack of lack of PPE and their own
regular testing.
On Monday the Ministry of Health announced the third death in Swaziland
from coronavirus, a 42-year-old man from the Manzini region. A total of 293
people have tested positive so far.
See also
Swaziland
short of coronavirus protective equipment for health workers as prices soar
Swaziland
policeman shoots boy, 15, playing football during coronavirus lockdown
One-year-old
tests positive for coronavirus in Swaziland
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