Africa-Press – Lesotho. 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 empty with only staff moving from offices to offices.
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 travelled 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 they had to source loans to be able to pay workers’ salaries but now they have exhausted 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.
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