Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla says there are 2 012 unfunded vacant posts of medical doctors countrywide – this does not include other categories like nurses, pharmacists, radiographers and dentists – and that the government will need R2.4bn to fill them.
The Ministry would continue working with provincial Health MECs to activate unfunded vacant posts using the allocated additional budget to enable recruitment of more personnel, he added.
News24 reports that Phaahla, providing an update on Friday on the state of public health services, had said that at least 2 066 appointments had been made between January and March 2024.
“The recruitment processes are continuing … to finalise more appointments …to enable successful candidates to assume duties in May 2024,” he said.
Cholera cases
Meanhile, South Africa has recorded more than 150 suspected cholera cases, 12 laboratory-confirmed cases and one death between 1 January and 18 April 2024, the Health Minister said. Of these, 11 cases were in Limpopo, while one was confirmed in Gauteng. Three had been imported from Zimbabwe.
A 48-year old South African man from Musina had been admitted to hospital on 16 March with symptoms, but died on 21 March 2024.
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