Umm Muhammed Umar

A thousand five hundred final year medical students had experienced a delay, until just a few days ago,  in being placed for mandatory internship in public health facilities for next year. The Chairperson of the Junior Doctors Association of South Africa, Dr Tshepile Tlali spoke to Radio Islam about how the mandatory internship works and how it differs from province to province.

Dr Tlali said that after five to six years (depending on the university you go to) at med school, a mandatory two years of medical internship, and a full year of community service, was required. Only after that can one be signed off by the HPCSA as an independent practitioner.

Medical students could apply or show preference as to where they’d like to be placed. The National Department of Health and the Internship and Community Service Programme have created an online system where students can list five places where they would like to be placed, across provinces. have to put choices from different provinces. An algorithm then places students and interns.

Yes. As we indicated that we understand that 1500 final year medical students are yet to be placed for mandatory internship. You know, from your perspective, what is the sample the National Health Department’s internship and Community Centre placement system

Dr Tlali said that the medical students who had yet to have been placed for mandatory internship in public health facilities for next year, have since been placed. However, those going into internship have not as yet been placed. Dr Tlali said, “this this for me does not come as a surprise. I’ve been working with the Department of Health, with the ICSP, and with Judasa, for my entire tenure, from two to three years now, and throughout my tenure, we’ve been warning the Department of Health of the impending bottleneck of comm(unity) service because of the lack of funding. And this seems to be the year they might not be enough money to place everyone.”

The Department has indicated that a further R133 million is needed to cover the costs of 664 Community Service doctors by January 1 2022. If that money is not confirmed, those due to begin their community service will be left in limbo. There are no alternatives for them. Dr Tlali said, “If you don’t have that certificate, you cannot work in private, you cannot go and work at another hospital, meaning or you’re stuck because you’re not seen as an independent practitioner.”

With coronavirus infections spiking in the fourth wave these doctors are more needed than ever before, especially with healthcare professionals exhausted after more than 20 months of fighting the pandemic. Dr Tlali said that even without COVID these doctors were needed. He said that South Africa had one of the lowest doctor to patient ratios in the world.” He added, “We are in the beginning of the fourth wave and we need as many hands as possible.”

Further, South African doctors are being headhunted by Ireland, Australia and Canada. Doctors who cannot find work after having completed their community service might feel they may as well go to another country, which allows South Africa to be viewed in a negative light, as well as puts more pressure on the healthcare workers who remain.