The first batch of new medical doctors, who will do their community service in the Northern Cape, has been welcomed at the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital in Kimberley.
The province is experiencing a shortage of medical personnel at healthcare facilities.
The group includes staff from different medical disciplines.
The additional medical personnel brings a welcome relief to Northern Cape hospitals plagued by staff shortages. Their presence will go a long way to improve services in emergency units and other disciplines. Health MEC Maruping Lekwene explains.
“We have welcomed 308 medical officers including 35 professional nurses. At the cost of just less than R210 million, this is quite important for us as a small province. We are very optimistic that this injection will enhance our capacity in our facilities. It will improve and strengthen our service delivery.”
The new physicians will also ease the burden on doctors and nurses, who are often required to work long shifts. Dr Jacobus Rademan, who hails from Gauteng, says he is looking forward to working at the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital.
“I am quite excited for the year that lies ahead. I am very fortunate to be allocated to the burn unit. It is recently refurbished and has some state-of-the-art equipment that will be able to help in the immediate resuscitation of burn patients as well as the eventual management and reconstructive of burn wounds. I think from a junior doctor’s perspective, it is really a nice opportunity.”
Whilst the spread of the coronavirus presents an even bigger challenge to the healthcare system in the province and countrywide, the young doctors are keen to do their bit. Dr Kriyanka Naidoo details her experience with COVID-19.
“The first two years of my training I was very much exposed to the pandemic, learned a lot during that time. Yes, it was quite daunting being introduced to my future career during a pandemic. But having said that there were some pros in terms of being frontline workers, being exposed to the research while practicing was absolutely incredible.”
The province says it will take a long time to fill all the vacant positions. But for now, the new doctors, nurses, and other healthcare practitioners will fill the gap.
[In Pictures] – Today, the Provincial Health MEC, Mr Maruping Lekwene visited Robert Managaliso Sobukwe hospital, as part of welcoming the medical medical interns and community service professionals placed in various health facilities in the Northern Cape. pic.twitter.com/Bm17TrgEzt
— Northern Cape Department of Health (@nc_doh) January 4, 2022
First batch of new medical doctors at the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital arrive:
