News | Public Healthcare | Government Affairs
Stalled Agreement Between Gauteng Health Department and Wits University Threatens Medical Training and Hospital Management
Time to read: 01:17
Time to listen: 02:35
Published on MedED: 26 November 2024
Type of article: News
MedED Catalogue Reference: MNG0062
Category: News
Category Cross-reference: Public Health, Government Health Department
Keywords: Gauteng Department of Health, Wits University
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Type of article: News
MedED Catalogue Reference: MNG0062
Category: News
Category Cross-reference: Public Health, Government Health Department
Keywords: Gauteng Department of Health, Wits University
Top
26 November 2024, 14:15
An agreement between the Gauteng Department of Health and Wits University, aimed at improving hospital management and medical training, has been stalled, and has yet to be implemented despite being signed over two and a half years ago, in June 2022.
This memorandum of agreement (MOA) is critical for coordinating practical medical training, defining joint staff appointments, and providing a framework for the university to support the department. The last MOA expired in 2018. The delay threatens to exacerbate an already strained healthcare system in the province.
The MOA’s importance lies in its role in supporting the recruitment and management of medical staff, sharing financial oversight, and ensuring that healthcare professionals can dedicate part of their time to teaching and research. Without it, joint appointments between Wits and the health department remain unregularized, and governance mechanisms to oversee hospital management remain weak.
The ongoing impasse has led to concerns about the future of medical training, which could ultimately impact the supply of doctors in the province and the country.
According to an article in Spotlight, despite several attempts to resolve the deadlock through meetings, no significant progress has been made. This has raised doubts about the Gauteng Department of Health’s intentions, with critics arguing that their reluctance to move forward with the MOA reflects a desire to reduce oversight and transparency.
For Wits University, the issue is about maintaining its role as a key partner in training future healthcare professionals. The delay, which continues under the current MEC for Health, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, risks eroding trust and collaboration between the two parties.
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