South Africa has lost 17% of newly qualified doctors since 2005
A reply to a Democratic Alliance (DA) parliamentary question shows that South Africa is losing on average 17% of its newly qualified doctors every year, probably to other countries, before they even register as doctors in South Africa.
This shows the extent of the dissatisfaction among doctors for the situation in South Africa's public health service. In the face of this crisis, the government should be looking at taking some emergency measures to stem the flow.
Anyone who has qualified as a doctor must complete a year of community service before they are able to register with the Health Professions Council. If qualified doctors are not doing their community service, then this probably means they are taking their degrees to other countries where community service is not required for registration.
The reply shows that since 2005 (excluding 2008, in which figures are distorted by the introduction of an extra year of internship), a total of 5 689 trainee doctors applied to do internships, but only 4702 newly qualified doctors applied for community service posts. Given that graduation figures have been stable over the past few years, this means that around 1000 doctors since 2005 did not register to work in South Africa:
|
YEAR |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
(2008) |
2009 |
Total (Excl. 2008) |
|
Applications for internships |
1391 |
1561 |
1422 |
(1336) |
1315 |
5689 |
|
Applications for community service |
1134 |
1324 |
1224 |
(295) |
1020 |
4702 |
|
Difference |
257 |
237 |
198 |
|
295 |
987 |
|
Percentage lost |
18% |
15% |
14% |
|
12% |
17% |
There are no instant solutions to the problems which are driving our doctors away, but the DA makes three proposals which would help to improve the situation:
- Negotiate with doctors in good faith about their salaries. It is unacceptable that the government ignored this for two years, responded only when doctors threatened to strike, and then delivered only more empty promises.
- Include doctors in the "scarce skills" database at Home Affairs, so that we can bring more foreign-qualified doctors into the country.
- Lift the ban on the recruitment of health workers from the South African Development Community region, so that doctors fleeing poor circumstances at home can use their skills productively here.
Statement issued by Mike Waters MP, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of health, July 17 2009
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