South Africa To Recruit More Than 5 300 Nurses, Doctors to fill vacant posts

Motsoaledi made the announcement on behalf of the National Health Council, a statutory body, which met on Thursday and Friday last week.

“The council met to, among others, finalise and operationalise the presidential stimulus package as announced by the President [Cyril Ramaphosa]. This announcement, which will result in the filling of more than 5 300 posts in the health departments of the nine provinces from the beginning of January 2019, in addition to being a product of the presidential stimulus package, is also the implementation of the recommendations of the presidential health summit held a few weeks ago,” said Motsoaledi.

“The president had announced the stimulus package to kick-start the economy. With regards to health, he had also stated that there will be a stimulus for health in three areas – human resources, hospital beds and hospital linen.”

Motsoaledi said shortages in these three areas were acute, especially in human resources, which had declined over the past three years due to severe budget constraints as a result of the poor state of the economy.

“Under-staffing, especially in the provinces, has been cited as one of the major contributing factors which has negatively affected the provision of health care. The appointment of the health workers, which includes a broad spectrum of health professionals, for example, registrars, pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, radiographers, specialists, psychologists, physiotherapists, and other allied health professionals, will go a long way towards improving the quality of health care in public health facilities in all the provinces,” he said.

The provincial breakdown of the posts is as follows:

Eastern Cape
– three medical specialists
– 36 medical officers (post-community service doctors)
– 100 enrolled nursing assistants
– 74 enrolled nurses
– 50 pharmacy assistants
– 320 general staff, porters, and mortuary attendants

Free State
– eight medical specialists
– 13 medical officers (post-community service doctors)
– 43 professional nurses
– 12 enrolled nurses
– 37 enrolled nursing assistants

Gauteng
– 15 medical specialists
– 10 registrars (medical specialists in training)
– 20 medical officers (post-community service doctors)
– 40 specialist professional nurses
– 245 professional nurses
– 75 enrolled nurses
– 100 porters
– 100 general assistants
– eight occupational therapists
– eight physiotherapists
– 10 pharmacists
– 10 pharmacy assistants
– 10 radiographers
– 10 social workers
– eight clinical psychologists

KwaZulu-Natal
– 97 registrars (medical specialists in training)
– 150 enrolled nurses
– 150 enrolled nursing assistants
– 50 pharmacy assistants
– 15 artisans
– 160 porters
– 160 general assistants

Limpopo
– 16 medical specialists
– 227 medical officers (post-community service doctors)
– eight pharmacists
– 309 professional nurses
– 14 dentists
– 57 allied health professionals
– four clinical psychologists
– six clinical associates

Mpumalanga
– two medical specialists
– three registrars (medical specialists in training)
– 44 medical officers (post-community service doctors)
– 40 enrolled nurses
– 60 general staff, cleaners, and information officers

Northern Cape
– one medical specialist
– 10 professional nurses

Western Cape
– three medical specialists
– eight registrars (medical specialists in training)
– nine medical officers (post-community service doctors)
– 42 professional nurses
– 25 enrolled nurses
– two pharmacists
– 16 pharmacy assistants
– 40 artisans
– six forensic pathologists

North West
– 20 medical specialists
– 28 registrars (medical specialists in training)
– 28 medical officers (post-community service doctors)
– three pharmacists
– 42 pharmacy assistants
– 45 professional nurse specialists
– 25 professional nurses
– 107 enrolled nurses
– 12 clinical associates
– four radiotherapists
– four dieticians
– two social workers
– 272 information officers
– 145 EMS personnel
– five engineers
– 19 artisans
– seven architects
– 385 administrative clerks
– 73 porters
– 248 general assistants
– 52 drivers
– 525 cleaners
– 75 laundry staff
– six mortuary assistants
– 84 food aides
– six programme managers

Professionals interested in these posts were advised to communicate with the various provincial health department heads, Motsoaledi said.

– African News Agency

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