The 'I Am' movement cannot be ignored. Backed by nearly 7,000 health workers, it is calling for concrete changes to systemically fix the falling-apart public healthcare system. Caught in the doldrums of bureaucracy and government inaction, the campaign has written a follow-up letter respectfully escalating their concerns.

Instead of delays and platitudes from officialdom, the "I Am" movement is demanding a response from elected representatives. As workers on the ground in South Africa's public healthcare system, they say they need to hear from the Premier of Gauteng, David Makhura and Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, with concrete plans to address concerns raised in their open letter submitted a month ago. The letter calls for an end to the victimisation of whistle-blowers and for systemic changes that will place decision-making power with properly constituted boards and CEOs who are primarily accountable to the hospital, its staff and patients rather than detached head offices.

The campaign grew out of solidarity with the wake-up call that paediatrician Dr Tim de Maayer published in an open letter about the abysmal state of Rahima Moosa Mother & Child Hospital, where children's deaths would be preventable if hospital administrators did their jobs. For whistle-blowing, De...