President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged there were times in 2020 when government failed health care workers.
Ramaphosa was speaking at a new year’s eve candle lighting ceremony in Khayelitsha on Thursday. He called 2020 a year from hell and paid tribute to the armies healthcare professionals who’ve been working with little rest since COVID-19 first arrived.
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“At times we failed you. We didn’t give you the PPEs that you required on time. We didn’t give you the protection that you required on time and we humbly apologise for that. We should have cared for you much more. We should’ve given you more recognition – and we will, Ramaphosa said.
“You’ve given us courage to go on. There were moments when my own hope was getting lost.”
#COVID19 | President @CyrilRamaphosa at Khayelitsha Hospital in Cape Town, Western Cape, for a Candlelight Ceremony in honour of frontline workers helping to fight the #coronavirus pandemic. #StaySafe pic.twitter.com/Pum899GIdq
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) December 31, 2020
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Health Minister Zweli Mkhize attended a similar even in KwaZulu-Natal, raising concerns about the high infection and death rates among health care workers.
He confirmed 436 health professionals have died as a result of the virus in 2020 and that every time a health care worker catches the virus, the system loses at least 10 days of labour.
Our health care workers continue to bravely fight this war even though they have been pushed beyond their call of duty. #NYECandleLighting
— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) December 31, 2020
Every time a health care worker becomes infected with COVID, we lose at least 10 days of labour, so desperately needed during this time.#NYECandleLighting
— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) December 31, 2020
But more importantly, health care workers are not just labour for the health care system- they are active members of society, breadwinners, community leaders, counselors and role models. #NYECandleLighting
— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) December 31, 2020
