LISTEN: UKZN Pharmacy students on edge over internship pause
Final-year pharmacy students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal say they are worried about their future career prospects.
UKZN Association of Pharmacy Students says the uncertainty over internships is causing unnecessary stress and anxiety among students.
The association's Anathi Khwela has been reacting to the announcement by the KZN Department of Health that it won't be able to offer pharmacy internships this year due to funding issues.
Khwela says pharmacists can't practise without internships.
" Internship is compulsory. The minute you complete your final year and you receive your results, you are no longer a student. You should be registered as an intern.
"Now that they don't have internships, this means they're not registered anywhere. They're no longer students, and they're not interns, which means they can't practice."
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Khwela says they haven't received formal communication from the department yet.
She says alternative placements in other provinces or the private sector are limited.
" There was an ongoing rumour that maybe it's like a financial constraint. Unfortunately, some of them actually applied, and they were rejected in other provinces because they're already full."
In a statement last week, KZN Health said that the halt on internships isn't a permanent move, and that it's pursuing every possible avenue to source additional financial resources.
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