Health Dept's coffers running dry, making employment of doctors hard: Phaahla
More than 800 medical doctors are unemployed to date with at least 600 of them having recently completed their community service.
Minister Joe Phaahla outlines efforts by the Department of Health working with provincial health departments to address the current challenges facing human resources for health and related issues. Picture: @GovernmentZA/ X.
JOHANNESBURG - Health Minister Joe Phaahla says his department’s finances are heavily burdened, adding that this contributes significantly to the alarming unemployment rate in the sector.
Phahla addressed members of the media on Monday, highlighting that the employment of doctors in particular takes up to 60% of the health budget in some provinces.
Recently, there has been public outcry over doctors who have completed their community service programmes but remain without jobs.
More than 800 medical doctors are unemployed to date with at least 600 of them having recently completed their community service.
"Even before these increases they were already approaching 70% of their budgets being for salaries. The risk with this is that it cuts in terms of medicine, linen and many others including clinical equipment like ultrasounds," said Phaahla.