The Department of Health will do everything possible to ensure that the delivery of health care services in public hospitals continues to take place amid threats of strike action by some doctors this Friday.
The threats come at a time when there is a legitimate negotiation process currently underway in the Bargaining Council to resolve remuneration and associated working conditions as they affect doctors and other health professionals in the sector. “We (Department of Health) don’t understand why South African Medical Association (SAMA) could postpone negotiations but at the same time embark on a strike action when they are expected to report back to Council on the offer tabled by the employer recently,” said Dr Percy Mahlathi, Deputy Director-General of human resources in the national department.
The department’s expectation was for SAMA and other groups to come with comments / counter proposals on models that are on the table together with figures attached to these models and thus justify their demand for 50% across the board salary increases. At this stage, the department’s view is that such a demand (of 50%) is arbitrary, condones a one size fits all approach and will not address the disparities that the Occupation Specific Dispensation seeks to address.
The Department of Health is of the view that while salary increases for Doctors, Dentists, Pharmacists and Emergency Medical personnel are an absolute necessity, it is also important to have in place a model that will address career path issues, recognise and reward those who perform well in the system. It is now questionable whether SAMA really wants this matter resolved or not.
On its part, the department remains committed to resolving the grievances of health care workers and to address the management challenges affecting the performances of some hospitals in the country. Any premature strike action can only cause unnecessary delays in resolving this matter and compromise the bigger task of improving the performance of the public health system, a task and duty that some of these Doctors are also responsible for.
As part of minimising the impact of the strike on Friday 29 May 2009, the department will consider activating a range of interventions based on the impact on each affected facility. The right to access health care is a Constitutional and legal one that we take very seriously as a department and commit ourselves to do everything possible to ensure that this right is not tampered with or unnecessarily compromised.
For more information please contact:
Fidel Hadebe
Tel: 012 312 0663
Cell: 079 517 3333
Issued by: Department of Health, Free State Provincial Government
26 May 2009
