Health Department Is Failing SA’s Medical Graduates – Sumatu

The South African Medical Association Trade Union (Samatu) is calling on the national Health Department to get its house in order.

The medical practitioner’s organisation said that the department was failing the country’s medical graduates.

Samatu general secretary, Cedric Sihlangu, said that 428 medical graduates were still waiting to be placed.

“Initially, they had committed that they would place these doctors within two weeks. Two weeks have lapsed. We went back on the platform again today, there is no real direction, all the information that was required, including the doctors’ ID numbers and all the respective information was delivered to the department but they are clutching at straws. They are not real clear.”

Sihlangu added that the department was not serious about solving its administrative issues, as this occurred every year.

“It just shows you the level of attitude that is persistent in the department, that they take this as a nicety, not a serious situation.”

The Department of Health, meanwhile, said that there were recruitment processes that must be followed in the placement of medical graduates.

This comes after the South African Medical Association Trade Union lamented the delays in the placement of medical graduates.

The director of human resources at the department, Victor Khayile, said that the screening process of the doctors had been completed and were due for placements.

“You only get a contract of employment if you have registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa. I believe we wouldn’t want to see any patient being touched by someone who is not licensed to practice. So there are processes that people should adhere to before they actually get a formal letter of employment.”

However, Khayile added that some of the candidates refused to work in areas in which they had been placed.