Radio Islam International – 2019/01/30

The Health Professional Council of South Africa admits that there is a placement problem facing foreign qualified doctors returning home, this after returning doctors were told last year that they were required to have satisfactory duty internship certificates verified by the Education Commission of Foreign Medical Graduates and an original certificate of good standing from a regulatory body.

Since last year, the HPCSA have been at loggerheads with foreign trained South African doctors, who are now finding it tough to get placements at local government hospitals.

READ: SA Doctors Who Studied Abroad Left In Limbo

The HPCSA’s President Dr Kgosi Letlape told Radio Islam that there were people who did not meet the minimum requirements to practice and were accepted in the past, causing the problems faced today.

“The Major problem is that when people leave to study elsewhere, when they come back not as qualified doctors, they need to come and train in the same place they were not able to get a place in the first place, there is a problem with placements.”

Ahmed Sarang, a representative for the doctors who studied abroad told Radio Islam that they are grateful for the engagements with the HPCSA, but they would appreciate a swift response to the problems they are facing.

“At present we are looking to wait six months for placements when the DOH and the HPCSA could just have a meeting, provide them with a list of the people who have finished and not yet given place.”

Listen to the full discussion below: