RINGA NATHI: She calls patients tokoloshes | Daily Sun

Healthcare workers and support stuff have expressed their horror stories with Daily Sun.

DAILY Sun has over the years run many hospital horror stories in which people complain about the bad treatment they receive at public health facilities. 

Many SunReaders have complained about rude nurses, the state of these facilities and the lack of adequate health services. 

However, very little has been done or even investigated in terms of the conditions healthcare workers find themselves working in or why they act the way they do. 

Last week, Daily Sun called on people to share their hospital horror stories, through voice notes and texts on our WhatsApp line: 064 699 0108.

Readers didn’t hold back as they lashed Mzansi hospitals and healthcare workers. Healthcare workers didn’t take the criticism lying down as they, too, shared their pain voluntarily after the call by Daily Sun to make their voices heard. 

We invited all healthcare workers. It seems not everything’s as it seems. You can join the conversation by following our WhatsApp channel HERE. 

This topic was sparked by an incident at Helen Joseph Hospital in Joburg, which involved former media personality Tom London.

ALSO READ: Foreign nationals milking RAF

Here’s more of what Mzansi had to say:

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or stance of Daily Sun.

One of the respondents was a nursing student, who complained about a lack of resources at hospitals.

“I’m a fourth-year nursing student and have had the opportunity to work in a public health facility. That video wasn’t a shock to me as it’s the norm, and it’s what we go through on a day-to-day basis,” said the student.

The student said sometimes they don’t have the correct equipment or medication.

“Sometimes we lose a lot of lives, and we have to make critical decisions. It’s very hard to do your best when you don’t have the right equipment and when you have to do the duty of 40 other people, you become tired and drained. I have a personal experience of when I do my utter best, I get drained. We’re understaffed and it’s just a mess,” said the student.

Another SunReader, a cleaner at a hospital, said he’s been a temporary worker at a hospital for more than eight years.

“We’ve been applying for jobs without any luck,” he said.

A worker said he also didn’t like the way their employers treated them and the fact that people who applied after them have been hired in permanent posts.

Another reader, who works at a private practice, said the doctors are fine but it’s the receptionist who gives all of them a bad name.

“We open at 9am, and we’re expected to be at work at 8.30am. When we get there and find patients, many of whom are seriously sick, she will call them tokoloshes or dogs and other swear words. She shouts, saying: ‘Don’t these people have homes’. No one wants to report her because they’re scared of her. She’s evil, rude, and mean. She’s everything a bad person can be,” said the worker.

A security guard, who also spoke to Daily Sun, said they need more recognition.

“Security guards are never considered. They try their best but earn less than doctors and nurses. Some security guards in other companies don’t have provident funds or UIF,” he said.