Doctors' Day is celebrated on 16 November to acknowledge and thank South African doctors for the exceptional services they deliver on a daily basis. Sponsor Ethiqal said the pandemic had placed “immense pressure” on doctors and their families over the past year.
“The challenges that our medical professionals have confronted and overcome over the last year have been astounding,” says EthiQal executive Alex Brownlee. He said that EthiQal, the medical risk insurer, was “proud to continue to honour this annual tradition of celebrating doctors countrywide this year”.
“The pandemic has placed immense pressure on doctors and their families, through the increased personal risk of exposure, the frustration associated with delayed surgeries and erratic schedules, and the emotional trauma of seeing more suffering and fatalities.”
EthiQal’s Doctors’ Day initiative is celebrating its fourth year running in 2021. Through its “This is why we say thank you” campaign, EthiQal calls on the country to express gratitude to its doctors for their bravery and commitment, by sharing their healthcare hero stories on the dedicated Doctors’ Day webpage.
In return, five lucky entrants who share their gratitude stories will each receive R1 000 in cash. What’s more, EthiQal will donate R10,000 to the Healthcare Workers Care Network – a nationwide healthcare worker support network that offers all healthcare workers across the public and private sectors free support, pro bono therapy, resources, training and psycho-education.
To qualify, participants must submit their stories by visiting www.doctorsday.co.za (or https://ethiqal.co.za/doctors-day/) before 25 November 2021. Follow the Doctors’ Day stories on social media: (Facebook: @ethiqaldoctor, or log on to https://www.facebook.com/ethiqaldoctor/, or LinkedIn: EthiQal)