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News24 reports that unemployed doctors in the Eastern Cape, who studied through taxpayer-funded bursaries, have vowed to continue picketing outside the Office of the Premier in Bhisho until there is an undertaking to hire them.
The medical practitioners, including general practitioners and dentists, have been picketing outside Premier Oscar Mabuyane's office since Monday. This was after a circular from the Eastern Cape Department of Health instructed that post-community service personnel needed to be released from their duties on 31 December due to a lack of funds. On Tuesday, scores of unemployed doctors held placards and sang songs at the entrance of Mabuyane's office. They came from all corners of the province and claimed there were about 150 of them who were unemployed – some for more than a year. Dr Ntombizanele Takayi, 32, who completed her community service programme at the Dora Nginza Hospital in Gqeberha, said they were disappointed when the provincial health department told them there was no money to hire them. "This happens while there is a crisis in public hospitals in the Eastern Cape. The actual ratio of doctor-to-patient is 1:1,000. Where I was based (Dora Nginza), the actual waiting period for a patient to see a doctor is 16 hours. This is very frustrating and disheartening.” The SA Medical Association said it was "deeply concerned about the alarming number of junior doctors who remain unemployed despite completing their community service, with over 1,800 doctors reported to be affected nationwide". The Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA’s (Denosa’s) Sivuyile Mange said the shortage of doctors and nurses was negatively impacting healthcare services in the province. Mange added: “We are making calls that the health department be exempted from austerity measures implemented by the National Treasury.”
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sithandiwe Velaphi at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)
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