medical doctors
17 April 2009
The Department of Health notes with concern the premature strike action by
some medical doctors, which started around some hospitals in the Gauteng
province yesterday, 16 April 2009.
The Department of Health acknowledges the many challenges facing all health
professionals including medical doctors in the public service, relating in
particular to remuneration and the general working conditions. To address this
myriad of challenges, the Department has put in place a number of policies that
seek to strengthen the health system by ensuring that health professionals have
confidence in the ability of the public health sector to provide them with a
conducive environment to work in. All of remuneration issues are currently
forming part of the Occupation Specific Dispensation (OSD) work that has to be
completed in the Bargaining Chamber.
The department regrets the delay in getting to a speedy resolution of the
matter. The fact that no resolution has been reached on these matters have to
do with its complexity. Negotiations will commence shortly at the Bargaining
Council and the Department of Health assisted by the Department of Public
Service and Administration are committed to resolve this matter.
Further, the department would like to avoid the repetition of mistakes that
occurred last year when implemented the OSD for nurses. On its part, the
department reiterates its absolute commitment to improving the remuneration and
general working conditions of the doctors as have been stated before. What is
however regrettable is for the doctors to embark on a premature illegal strike
action, which puts the lives of our patients at risk.
The department continues to engage with the South African Medical
Association (SAMA), a body that represents the interests of the doctors to find
ways of addressing these and other broader challenges facing the medical
profession in public service. So far, SAMA has repeatedly emphasised its
commitment to the negotiation process as demonstrated by their statement early
this week.
As part of its plans to mitigate the impact of the strike, the department
has put in place a number of contingency measures which include the continued
functioning of the emergency services and the intensive care units in all
affected hospitals.
In conclusion, the department wishes to recommit itself to the negotiation
process currently underway and the speedy resolution of this matter. Equally,
the Department recommits itself to the ongoing bi-lateral engagement with the
SAMA as has been happening thus far on broader health system issues.
The department would like to appeal to the striking doctors to give the
soon-to-commence negotiations at the Bargaining Council a chance to succeed and
assist in protecting the interests of the patients as demanded by the
profession and the Constitution of this country.
For more information please contact:
Fidel Hadebe
Cell: 079 517 3333
Issued by: Department of Health
17 April 2009
