The Department of Health has hired over 200 of the 800 unemployed doctors in the country.
This is according to a report by the Weekend Argus.
SA HAS OVER 800 UNEMPLOYED DOCTORS
Since the beginning of the year, there has been a public outcry over the large number of unemployed doctors.
Over 800 doctors petitioned the Department of Health for vacancies.
In February, Health Minister Joe Phaahla blamed ballooning salary bills as one of the reasons some doctors that have completed statutory community service programmes, remain unemployed.
Phaahla said the salary bill of medical practitioners takes up more than 60% of hospitals’ budgets.
“It is no secret that employment costs are extremely high – up to 65% of annual budgets in some instances. This, therefore, leaves little for goods and services to make public health facilities provide holistic care uninterrupted,” he said at the time.
Furthermore, the Department of Health said young doctors are refusing to be placed in the rural areas. However, the department later retracted the statement following an outrage from the young and unemployed doctors and the public at large.
Earlier this month, unemployed doctors marched to the offices of the Department of Health in Pretoria to submit a memorandum.
Likewise, healthcare professionals also marched to the Health Department in KwaZulu-Natal.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH MAKES PROGRESS IN FILLING POSTS
Speaking to the Weekend Argus, Department of Health spokesperson Foster Mohale confirmed that 270 doctors have been employed.
Mohale said advertising and recruiting medical doctors and other health professionals is ongoing. He was unable to confirm how many doctors were placed in designated provinces.
“So far, about 270 have been appointed; more appointments will be announced in installments,” he told the publication.
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