ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL WORKERS DOWN TOOLS

Maseru, Nov. 28 — St. Joseph’s hospital has since this morning been returning patients without offering them any services as workers have downed tools after not getting their salaries for the month of November.

What started as a go slow a few days ago has now escalated to total downing of tools. Hospital premises and corridors are empty with only staff moving from office to office. 

Speaking in an interview, one Mrs. ‘Malehlohonolo Rameno said she was told that there are no services and she should go to Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital or go back home. 

She had traveled from Makhaleng for check-up and removal of plaster cast on her broken arm but tears filled her eyes as she could not access services. She expressed disappointment saying it is very expensive to travel to Roma, adding that to go to Maseru will be more expensive therefore she has no choice but to return home. 

One of the workers who spoke anonymously told the Agency that they have not gotten their salaries for the month of November. 

She said usually they get their salaries between 21st and 22nd of every month with the latest being on 25th saying now that it has passed those dates and nothing has been said, they decided to down tools.

Moreover, the hospital Medical Superintendent, Dr. Senekane Senakane stressed that they are not on strike but they are incapacitated saying that they are only attending emergencies.

He explained that they get subvention from the government which lately has been dispatched monthly as opposed to quarterly saying they did not get the subvention from September to November. He said for the past two months they had to source loans to be able to pay workers’ salaries but now they have exhausted their means because they also had to purchase medication and other services.

He added that salaries are paid on the 25th of every month but to date they have not been paid.

He indicated that the situation will continue as is until the government gives them money to pay workers, medication and other services.

On the other hand, Ministry of Health Principal Secretary, Mrs. ‘Maneo Moliehi Ntene refuted that subvention is dispatched monthly emphasising that it is still dispatched quarterly.

However, she said there is still an MoU pending to be signed by the ministry and CHAL. She said the current one year MoU expires in March next year and they had proposed signing of a transitional one which would take years but CHAL has declined since June this year. Therefore she said they cannot give out money without signing a MoU. 

“We need to review our MoU especially because we use CHAL facilities and have to show appreciation but that has to be done through a consensus,” she said.

However, she explained that there are deliberations today which will clearly give a forward.

Furthermore, efforts to speak to CHAL Management were futile as the phone was not answered.

Meanwhile, the Agency has learned that Paray hospital and Seboche hospital workers have also downed tools. 

St. Joseph’s hospital located about 34km southeast of Maseru is a Catholic Church facility with about 190 workers including its four clinics.

Ends/AT/tl