SA nurses have nothing to celebrate on International Nurses Day - HAITU

JOHANNESBURG - As the world celebrates International Nurses Day, the Health and Allied Workers Indaba Trade Union (HAITU) said that nurses in the country had nothing to celebrate given the state of the profession.

The union said that South African nurses were overworked and exploited, while unable to keep up with the rising cost of living.

International Nurses Day is commemorated annually on this day, which is the birthday of the founder of modern-day nursing, Florence Nightingale.

HAITU said that this year it chose to boycott the annual event that will be hosted at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital.

"If Florence Nightingale were to walk among the wards of South African public hospitals, she would weep at the reversal in progress caused by rampant corruption, mismanagement and a general careless attitude towards nurses, workers and also towards patients," said spokesperson Lerato Mthunzi.