Many hospitals - but no doctors

UNION: GIVE FUNDS TO EMPLOY MEDICS SITTING AT HOME

- Masoka Dube

South Africa has built more health care facilities over the years but with no doctors to serve communities, it is time to direct the funds to the employment of doctors.

This is the view of Cedric Sihlangu, general secretary for the South African Medical Association Trade Union (Samatu).

Mpumalanga doctors on Friday protested at the premier's office to hand over a memorandum of grievances, demanding the urgent employment of doctors.

Samatu warned recently their members would protest throughout the country to compel the government to employ doctors.

Protests were held in the Eastern Cape and in Mpumalanga.

Sihlangu said the country had built a substantial network of public health care facilities to serve the population's needs.

"These include clinics, hospitals and specialised care centres that stand ready to provide health care services.

"However, the challenge lies not in the availability of structures, but in the staffing of these facilities with qualified doctors.