Nurses Threaten Industrial Dispute After Deeming Vaccine Rollout ’A Disaster Across The Board’
The Malta Union of Midwife and Nurses (MUMN) is threatening industrial action after a flurry of logistical issues made yesterday’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout “a disaster across the board”.
MUMN claimed that nurses and elderly people were put at risk at health centres due to the lack of insight and management from Primary Health Care (PHC).
The union alleged that elderly people were left crowded together in the rain, with no ways of maintaining social distancing.
“Yesterday we broke every health and safety rule,” MUMN President Paul Pace told Lovin Malta.
“It was a disaster everywhere, a disaster across the board.”
Earlier this week it was found that people who passed away decades ago are still receiving COVID-19 vaccine appointment letters. According to well-informed sources, the health authorities haven’t accounted for deaths prior to 1995, meaning here are some letters being sent to people who passed away over 20 years ago.
According to Pace, this issue persisted yesterday.
“They were going to throw away around 50 vaccines in the Bormla Health Centre because of the appointments made for deceased people,” Pace said.
“So that they don’t go to waste, the vaccines had to be taken to Floriana.“
MUMN said that it will be declaring an industrial dispute if three conditions are not met immediately. The conditions include the placement of at least two more security guards in each Health Centre during vaccination time, that all vaccination lists are verified by PHC, and that time slots should increase from 15 minutes for every 5 patients to 45 minutes.
“If such claims are ignored, MUMN will be safeguarding the health and safety of its members by other ways within the law,” the union continued.
“It is clear that Primary Health Care management failed to address these issues due to a CEO who would not even consider consultation prior to starting the vaccination programme.”