Hospital staff feel helpless, tired

A commentary piece in the South African Journal of Science by Prof Jacqueline Hoare of the University of Cape Town (UCT) has ignited urgent national debate around the emotional toll of South Africa’s public healthcare crisis and the leadership response it demands.

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Hoare, head of the Division of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry at Groote Schuur Hospital and UCT, argues that “emotional leadership” is no longer optional but a critical tool to support healthcare workers facing burnout, moral distress and deteriorating working conditions amid national budget cuts.

“Emotional leadership is not a luxury. It is a necessity,” Hoare writes.

Her call comes as South Africa’s healthcare system battles severe financial strain following the 2024-’25 budget cuts, the withdrawal of funding from international partners such as USAID, PEPFAR and the NIH, and an ever-increasing disease burden. The result: fewer staff, diminished research capacity, fewer training opportunities and worsening mental health among professionals in already under-resourced facilities.

A 2023 survey by the Medical Protection Society found that 35% of healthcare workers reported feeling worse now than during the Covid-19 pandemic.