At least 400 doctors who have completed their community service face unemployment this year, according to the South African Medical Association Trade Union (Samatu), apparently because the Health Department has insufficient funds to place them in the public sector.
Samatu secretary-general Dr Cedric Sihlangu said the doctors had approached the union because despite applying for posts, they had not been placed in the public sector, and although they could apply to work in the private sector or as general practitioners, they wanted to work for the state.
“We must remember there is a shortage of doctors in the public healthcare system and we definitely need more doctors to be employed. This will help ease the pressure on government hospitals which are understaffed,” he said.
Sihlangu said the union had been in touch with the Health Department, which had promised to assist with placement, reports The Mercury.
“But department shouldn’t be waiting for an outcry before they help doctors. We also will be pushing for all provinces to absorb doctors – who have completed their post-community service – into the public sector.”
Department of Health spokesperson Foster Mohale said the department was only recently informed of the situation.
“We don’t understand why the doctors didn’t approach us first instead of the union. However, we have recently received a list of doctors from Samatu who need placements, and will be able to assist those, who meet the minimum requirements, to be placed in the public sector.”
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Substantial number of community service doctors still unemployed — SAMA
Post-community service doctors struggle to find jobs
SA community service doctors sit and wait