Zuko Komisa
The National Treasury and Health Minister Joe Phaahla have declared that they have discovered a way to address the problem of unemployed doctors. He announced this during his debate for the State of the Nation Address.
According to the South African Medical Association Trade Union, known as Samatu, due to a lack of funding, South Africa, which faces a scarcity of medical professionals at state-owned hospitals, has not hired more than 800 qualified doctors for positions in public health.
Phaahla stated that Godongwana will disclose the specifics of the post-funding when he makes his budget speech on Wednesday.
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Phaahla has blamed budgetary restrictions and an oversupply of medical graduates in the field for the crisis, even as unemployed doctors protest for jobs on the streets nationwide.
“Provinces face challenges due to budgetary constraints, increasing pressure on healthcare budgets. The rising cost of employment, including salaries, poses a significant challenge, making it difficult for provinces to allocate funds for new positions, I am pleased to announce today that we’re working with my colleague Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana. We have found a solution to the current difficulty of employing doctors who want to work in the public service,”
“Our national teams are already working together between Treasury and Health to thrash out the details and with provincial departments to speed up the process so that by 1 April this year, all those who wish to work in the public sector will be able to get jobs.”
Health Minister Joe Phaahla
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