Health minister does about-turn on unemployed South African doctors

Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla says unemployed doctors looking for work in the public sector will be hired by April. He says they are working with Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, to get funds to employ the doctors.

This follows a strike held by over 80 unemployed medical doctors who marched to the KwaZulu Natal (KZN) Department of Health offices in Pietermaritzburg, demanding that the healthcare budget be increased to accommodate over 700 qualifying medical practitioners.

ALSO READ: Phaahla: Doctors salaries straining hospital budgets

‘WE HAVE A SOLUTION FOR UNEMPLOYED DOCTORS’

“Deployment of appropriate human resources is key to both access and quality, and this applies to multiple qualifications and skills within the healthcare teams,” he said on Tuesday.

“I am therefore pleased to announce that working with the finance minister, we have a solution to address the problem of doctors wanting to work in the public service but not being offered funded posts,” said the Minister.

ALSO READ: Phaahla: All Com-serve and intern doctors are allocated

PHAAHLA: WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN

Phaahla said the medical profession was key in the multidisciplinary teams, and they were doing everything to retain as many doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and other members of the teams in the public health system.

“We are going to fund these posts working with the minister,” he said in his input to the first day of the State of the Nation debate in parliament,” he said.

ALSO READ: Unemployed Doctors: ANCYL demands meeting with Minister

HOW WILL THE POSTS BE FUNDED: DETAILS WILL BE IN THE BUDGET SPEECH

Phaahla said the details of how the posts will be funded will be outlined by Godongwana when he delivers the budget speech next Wednesday.

He said the measures he is working on with Godongwana will give the government sufficient breathing space while working on long-term solutions.

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