Health Minister Joe Phaahla says at least four deaths have been linked to the current National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union’s (Nehawu) wage strike.
Five provinces including Gauteng have so far obtained urgent court interdicts against the union.
Phaahla says senior managers from the national and provincial health departments have been deployed to Gauteng hospitals which have been most affected by the strike.
Addressing the media at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital in Johannesburg, Phaahla said arrangements were being made to reschedule non-emergency health services at various hospitals.
“But we are aware that in the affected provinces, non-emergency services have to be scheduled. But nobody who needs emergency attention should be turned back. Those who have been rescheduled must be given appointments so that they can be attended to speedily,” adds Phaahla.
“Those who are on chronic medication must be assisted to make sure that they don’t run out of their chronic medications. Besides Gauteng, the Free State has also obtained a court order, KwaZulu Natal, the Eastern Cape, the Northern Cape and also the Eastern Cape.”
The video below is the full address by the minister:
![[File Image]: A nurse at one of South Africa's hospital during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.](https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/HOSPITAL.jpg)
