to third year bursary holders
18 January 2007
Free State Health MEC S Belot will deliver the keynote address at a ceremony
where diagnostic sets and stethoscopes will be handed over to third year
bursary holders.
Date: Friday, 19 January 2007
Time: 12h00 - 14h00
Venue: CJC Nel Lecture Hall, Universitas Hospital
Programme
12h00: Opening and Welcome - Mr MS Shuping, Executive Manager: Resource
Management & Support Services Branch
12h10: Purpose of the Day - Dr S Kabane, General Manager, Academic Health
Complex (Acting Executive Manager: Clinical Health Services Branch)
12h20: Introduction of the MEC - Mr MS Shuping
12h30: Address by MEC - Mr ST Belot, MEC for Health
12h50: Handing over of equipment to bursary holders - MEC Belot, Mr Shuping
& Dr Kabane (The students who have started their fourth year now will be
supplied with a full diagnostic set and stethoscope as compensation in
kind)
13h10: Inputs from students - 3rd and 4th year medical students
13h20: Wrap up and Closure
13h30: Lunch
Background information
Medical students who are Free State Department of Health bursary holders
have signed a contract with the Department to work for the same period as the
duration of the sponsorship upon completion of their studies. Some of these
third and fourth year students were appointed as casuals during their vacation
period.
These students need exposure to clinical settings as part of their studies.
The majority of bursary holders are from historically and presently
disadvantaged communities. There is a need for additional income for the
students to address requirements over and above what is covered by the
bursary.
As a prospective employer the Department has an obligation to establish a
working relationship with the students that it provides bursaries for, and to
ensure that these students serve out their contractual obligations. The
Department also has an obligation to retain as many of these professional as
possible to address its own staffing shortages after they have completed their
contractual obligations. This will increase the pool of professionals from
which specialists can be trained to address equity requirements.
These vacation periodic appointments serve the purpose of familiarising the
students with the inner workings of the Free State Health system. It also
provides the students with a platform for clinical training during their
vacation, instead of idling at home. The Department had additional hands in the
November / December period when some of the staff were away on vacation
leave.
The students who had completed their fourth year and who were appointed as
casuals for the period 1 November 2006 to 31 December 2006 were remunerated as
such.
The students who have started their fourth year now will be supplied with a
full diagnostic set and stethoscope as compensation in kind. They were also
remunerated.
The Department provided meals, accommodation and transportation as required
by the students. The students worked at the following institutions:
Pelonomi Regional Hospital, Bloemfontein Bongani Regional Hospital, Welkom
Botshabelo District Hospital, Botshabelo Phuthuloha District Hospital,
Ficksburg Dihlabeng Regional Hospital, Bethlehem Thebe District Hospital,
Harrismith Viljoenskroon Hospital Itemoheng District Hospital, Senekal
Metsimaholo District Hospital, Sasolburg Trompsburg Clinic Bohlokong Clinic,
Bethlehem.
Enquiries:
Elke de Witt
Cell: 083 561 6517
Gela Naude
Principal Communication Officer
Free State Department of Health
Tel: (051) 408 1278
Fax: (051) 408 1055
Cell: 082 381 9483
E-mail: naudeg@fshealth.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Health, Free State Provincial Government
18 January 2007
