Healthcare union marching in PMB to highlight plight of unemployed doctors
Members of the South African Medical
Association Trade Union marched to the offices of the KZN premier in
Pietermaritzburg on Thursday to highlight the
plight of unemployed doctors.
It's part of Samatu's protest in four provinces.
The union's Phumelelo Khumalo says more than a thousand qualified medical professionals are sitting at home.
"Healthcare is a basic human right in South Africa and, as custodians for the provision of healthcare in the country, we know the importance of safeguarding the service delivery. As providers we find ourselves castrated by the Department of Health in our stride to uphold quality care."
Khumalo says the Department of Health will be given two weeks to respond to their demands.
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"All unemployed qualified doctors must be absorbed into the system within two weeks, all vacant registar posts to be funded and filled within the next three months. All contracts of employment that will be offered to doctors will be on a permanent basis and no shift system will be accepted."
Trade union Nehawu, federation Cosatu and the Young Communist League have also joined the protest.
Nehawu's Ayanda Zulu says they have been complaining about the same issue for some time.
"This is the conduct we have been making for years that the Department of Health, especially in KZN, must fill all the vacant posts."
