23 July 2007
North West Premier, Edna Molewa, has appealed to health professionals to
apply for vacant posts in the province, and for those already in the province
to stay.
Recently, the MEC for Health, Nomonde Rasmeni, confirmed that the province
had over 1 700 vacant posts "and the reality is that we are unable to
completely fill these vacant posts owing to very few numbers of graduates we
are receiving." The other reality that worsens the situation is that, across
the country, nurses and doctors are deserting rural areas for 'greener
pastures.' North West is no exception.
Some of the critical health skills that are in demand include comprehensive
nursing and midwifery, psychiatric nursing science, clinical nursing science,
health assessment, treatment and care. In addition to the shortage of health
professionals, the provincial health department is also faced with an exodus of
health professionals from the province to metropolitan areas.
With the current review of the remuneration packages of health
professionals, Molewa said nurses who opt to go to rural areas stand to benefit
from an improved package. The package will take into consideration the nurses'
scarce skills: provide appropriate accommodation facilities, allowance as an
incentive for working in rural areas and uniform allowance.
Molewa said that her government's quest to build an effective health system
could be undermined by a lack of health professionals. "To build a humane
health system that excludes no one requires a cadre of health professionals
with requisite skills and commitment." She said that her hope is that soon
there would be a doctor where there was none, "and that preventable diseases
that continue to ravage our rural communities will be prevented and the
humiliation of long waiting periods in our health care institutions will come
to an end."
The North West Provincial Government has trained many doctors over the
years. Unfortunately many of them have chosen not to return and serve their
people in this predominantly rural province. Instead, they prefer the
glittering lights and good life of the big cities.
Issued by: Department of Health, North West Provincial Government
23 July 2007
