The Limpopo Department of Health has hired around 300 medical experts in an effort to improve the province’s delivery of healthcare services – this after the march by 800 unemployed doctors in February.
Provincial Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba welcomed the 333 healthcare professionals, who included medical officers, nurses, pharmacists, occupational therapists and clinical psychologists. There were also diagnostic radiographers, and Emergency Management Services station managers, reports Sunday World.
Limpopo follows the Free State, which appointed 61 medical doctors in March.
However, in KZN discontent about non-placement continues. The Witness reports that group of around 50 unemployed doctors, who had camped outside the Natalia buildings in central Pietermaritzburg – housing the provincial Department of Health – on Tuesday night, were removed by police yesterday.
The sit-in was to protest Health Minister Joe Phaahla not keeping his promise to employ young unemployed doctors in public hospitals by 1 April, they said.
Dr Refiloe Mokoena from the Amajuba District said they did not know why they were removed from the premises.
“We were sitting here peacefully, but the police told us if we did not move, they would use force.”
However, representatives from the group were allowed to enter the building to meet Department of Health officials.
“We hope the meeting means we will get what we were promised – employment this month” said Mokoena.
Thanduxolo Cele, an unemployed doctor from Newcastle, said that he travelled all the way to Pietermaritzburg for the sit-in. He said most of the protesting doctors completed their studies in 2020.
Promises
After protests countrywide earlier this year, Phaahla said the government was “working tirelessly to ensure that unemployed doctors who want to join the public service are placed by 1 April”.
He later said that “working with the Minister of Finance, we have a solution to address the current challenge of doctors who want to stay in the public service but could not be offered funded posts”.
He promised that a governmental national team was working with the National Treasury team to thrash out the details and expedite the process.
Sunday World article – Limpopo hires more than 300 healthcare professionals, experts (Open access)
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Only 270 out of 800 unemployed doctors placed
About-turn as Phaahla says jobless doctors will be hired – by April
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