Some 800 recently qualified healthcare professionals to be employed by end March - Phaahla

CAPE TOWN - Health Minister Joe Phaahla says by the end of March, at least 800 recently qualified health professionals will be employed by the State. 

In February, medical professionals protested across the country because the Department of Health didn't have the financial means to absorb them.

Answering questions in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Phaahla said thanks to a budget injection from National Treasury, as of Tuesday, 270 of them had already received appointment letters. 

Phaahla said provincial governments are working with two medical unions to verify the number of medical staff looking for work in the public sector. 

“All the provinces have now been able to advertise posts, and we also make sure those who want to work in the public service apply. And we are comparing notes on a weekly basis to see these are the posts advertised, this is the list of people that we have.” 

Meanwhile, Phaahla has defended the government’s Cuban medical study programme, saying it does well to train South African doctors in primary health care. 

“Going forward, we want to emphasise more on doctors being able to work in communities, and not only wait for people to come to hospitals as they do in Cuba, [[where they] have an allocation to work in communities and families.”