Tell the MEC: Community Health Workers have RIGHTS too! To: Gauteng MEC for the Department of Health The Honourable Gauteng MEC for Health, Dr. Gwendoline Malegwale Ramokgopa There is a dire need to urgently address and redress the unfavourable working conditions of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in the Province. As you are aware, Honourable MEC, CHWs are responsible for educating community members on a variety of health issues and are available for community programs. They work as a liaison between health institutions and the general public to provide relevant information and guide individuals towards a better understanding of health issues. These include health promotion, preventive care, community mobilization, treatment, and curative health care services. They also contribute to reducing system costs for health care, by linking patients to community resources and help to promote the use of primary health care services and follow-ups. This highlights the important role they play and the need to value their contribution. It is in this light, Honourable MEC, that we submit the long overdue demands listed below for your immediate attention and action: Demand #1. Contracts of Employment in line with Labour regulations. Demand #2. Favourable Conditions of Service. Demand #3. Clear Scope of Work. Demand #4. Clear policies targeting HCWs and their rights within the health sector. In doing so, the improvements will go a long way in empowering black women affected by low- income. A large number of women are surviving below the poverty line and have to stay in abusive, dangerous, toxic relationships and situations due to a lack of resources. Why is this important? Community Health Workers (CHWs) play a pivotal role in promoting both health care and social support in the communities in which they work, and indirectly in the communities in which they live. CHWs face struggles that include poverty, socio-economic issues, inequality, and that compounds health care issues. For instance, they have to use their stipend (R2500) to buy bread and/or use their own airtime to contact patients to motivate them to take their medication. They make calls and travel around to access patients at no allowance, using the very stipend that is way below a living wage. Honourable MEC, our health care system can only improve to the standard it needs to be, ONLY if the working conditions of our HCWs also improves. I thank you Email signatures Signed by 406 people:
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Tell the MEC: Community Health Workers have RIGHTS too! fileNorma Mbele Gauteng Johannah Tabane Gauteng Precious-Pearl Mogotsi Gauteng Thami Nsibanyoni Gauteng Nonkululeko Mashumi
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Tell the MEC: Community Health Workers have RIGHTS too!
To: Gauteng MEC for the Department of Health
The Honourable Gauteng MEC for Health, Dr. Gwendoline Malegwale Ramokgopa
There is a dire need to urgently address and redress the unfavourable working conditions ofCommunity Health Workers (CHWs) in the Province.
As you are aware, Honourable MEC, CHWs are responsible for educating community members ona variety of health issues and are available for community programs. They work as a liaisonbetween health institutions and the general public to provide relevant information and guideindividuals towards a better understanding of health issues. These include health promotion,preventive care, community mobilization, treatment, and curative health care services. They alsocontribute to reducing system costs for health care, by linking patients to community resourcesand help to promote the use of primary health care services and follow-ups. This highlights theimportant role they play and the need to value their contribution.
It is in this light, Honourable MEC, that we submit the long overdue demands listed below for yourimmediate attention and action:
Demand #1. Contracts of Employment in line with Labour regulations.
Demand #2. Favourable Conditions of Service.
Demand #3. Clear Scope of Work.
Demand #4. Clear policies targeting HCWs and their rights within the health sector.
In doing so, the improvements will go a long way in empowering black women affected by low-income. A large number of women are surviving below the poverty line and have to stay inabusive, dangerous, toxic relationships and situations due to a lack of resources.
Why is this important?
Community Health Workers (CHWs) play a pivotal role in promoting both health care and socialsupport in the communities in which they work, and indirectly in the communities in which theylive.
CHWs face struggles that include poverty, socio-economic issues, inequality, and that compoundshealth care issues. For instance, they have to use their stipend (R2500) to buy bread and/or usetheir own airtime to contact patients to motivate them to take their medication. They make callsand travel around to access patients at no allowance, using the very stipend that is way below aliving wage.
Honourable MEC, our health care system can only improve to the standard it needs to be, ONLY ifthe working conditions of our HCWs also improves.