Unemployed KZN doctors protest over jobs

Unemployed KZN doctors protest over jobs

Unemployed doctors in KwaZulu-Natal are pleading for jobs in the public healthcare system.

Doctor with stethoscope
Doctor with stethoscope/Pexels


On Monday, over 100 Post Community Service doctors marched to Natalia Building in Pietermaritzburg to hand over a memorandum of demands to government officials KZN Health Department, the Office of the Premiers and KZN Treasury.

 

Doctor Andile Ndlovu is one of the organisers of the protest.

 

"Currently we have about 200 doctors in KZN who are unemployed, and we are sensing a problem from the government a resistance from them saying they don't have funds.

 

"So, we have gathered here to come and protest against what they are saying. This problem of not employing doctors is actually a healthcare crisis not having doctors on the ground serving patients, whereas there is less doctors in the system who are suffering because they can't employ us," said Ndlovu.

 READ: KZN Health must prioritise safety of workers – NEHAWU

The march comes weeks after Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said government simply had no money to employ clinicians.

 

He urged them to look for jobs in the private sector or abroad.

 

Ndlovu has taken issue with that suggestion.

 

"Why are you in that office if you don't want to safeguard the people of South Africa in making sure get quality healthcare system? We have been trained in the healthcare system, and we have been trained to serve in this healthcare system.

 

“We are saying we want to serve in this healthcare system, establishing a private practice system is a lot of money. Only 15% of people in South Africa actually have the means to go to private sector, 85% of our people are in the public sector,” added Ndlovu.

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