Shortage of funds in public sector leaves newly qualified SA doctors jobless
Type of article: News | Current Affairs
MedED Catalogue Reference: MGN010
Category: News | Public Health
Keywords: public health, government, current affairs medical affairs, department of health, medical association trade union
Top
8 January 2024, 08:19
Contributor: Linda Ravenhill
As many as 800 newly qualified doctors are currently unemployed and unable to find jobs in the public healthcare system due to budget constraints, according to the South African Medical Association Trade Union (SAMTU). According to the union, this is a repeat of the situation encountered in previous years, contributing to many doctors entering private practice or leaving the country.
The Health Department, however, refutes this claim. According to the acting director general of the Department, Jeanette Hunter, the department does not have enough doctors, and she is urging all unemployed practitioners to register with the HPCSA so job placements can be found for them.
The shortage of qualified practitioners in public hospitals is a significant contributor to our failing healthcare system, leaving the majority of people without access to even the most basic of healthcare services. According to SAMTU, there is no plan to resolve the contributing issues or retain our skills, with many doctors citing poor working conditions as a reason for leaving the public healthcare system.
Given the ratio of practitioners to patients in the public system is a dismal 0.3 to 1000, the future is looking increasingly bleak for most of the country's citizens.
Associated Content
South Africa can’t afford the doctors it needs | BusinessTech
Newly qualified SA doctors shut out of jobs owing to budget constraints — union | Daily Maverick
This article is compiled from various resources researched and compiled by the contributor. It is in no way presented as an original work. Every effort has been made to correctly attribute quotes and content. Where possible, all information has been independently verified. The Medical Education Network bears no responsibility for any inaccuracies which may occur from the use of third-party sources. If you have any queries regarding this article contact us
Fact-checking Policy
The Medical Education Network makes every effort to review and fact-check the articles used as source material in our summaries and original material. We have strict guidelines in relation to the publications we use as our source data, favouring peer-reviewed research wherever possible. Every effort is made to ensure that the information contained here is an accurate reflection of the original material. Should you find inaccuracies, out of date content or have any additional issues with our articles, please make use of the contact us form to notify us.
