SABC News reports that the South African Medical Association Trade Union (SAMATU) has announced plans to escalate its campaign for the placement of unemployed doctors by engaging directly with the Finance Minister. This decision follows a series of protests across various provinces, including one in the Eastern Cape yesterday, aimed at highlighting the challenges faced by unemployed doctors and the potential to address delays in public health services.
SAMATU General Secretary Dr. Cedric Sihlangu says, “There’ll also be a national protest to the Finance Minister on the 31st of January because, by and large, all these issues pertaining to unemployment of doctors—if you go to the Minister of Health, he’ll tell you that it’s a finance issue and he’s trying to discuss with the National Treasury. If you go to the MEC, he’ll cite that it’s a fiscal constraint issue,” said Sihlangu.
He adds, “The national leadership of SAMATU decided to take these to the doorsteps of the Finance Minister simply to raise the plight, not only of unemployed doctors. In fact, the lack and under-staffing of these clinics and hospitals directly impacts accessing adequate healthcare services to these communities.”
– SABC Radio