Health Minister Joe Phaahla, has revealed that the recent backlash regarding the unemployment of doctors, does not include those graduates who are required to complete their internships and community service.
Speaking at a press conference in Hatfield on Monday, Phaahla says all those who are eligible for the mandatory internship and community service have been placed.
UNEMPLOYED DOCTORS
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‘In as far as internship and community services which we regard as statutory obligation by the state. We don’t have graduates fresh from medical school who are stranded in terms of getting internships those posts are funded and everybody who is eligible has been allocated,” explained Phaahla.
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This comes after medical professionals and unions such as the South African Medical Association Trade Union have since the beginning of the year, highlighted the plights of around 800 unemployed doctors following the completion of their community service.
Phaahla says the ideal situation who be that the doctors gain immediate employment as they play a major role which health professionals not only doctors play in improving the quality people.
“We really would wish a situation where all graduates that have completed all the statutory requirements internship and community service can get immediate employment in the public health sector”, the minister says.
“But of course we indicate we do face a number of challenges in that regard and opportunities are also there.”
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