KZN health bosses under fire over foreign doctors to-and-fro

The South African Medical Association (Sama) has questioned the leadership of the KwaZulu-Natal health department, after it distributed and then retracted an internal circular stating that it planned to put a stop to the hiring of foreign doctors.

This would ostensibly be done to accommodate South African doctors, in particular those who are Cuban-trained.

The department’s acting head of health, Musa Gumede, signed an internal circular dated September 4 stating that the department planned to suspend the “recruitment and employment of foreign health professionals”.

The circular read: “Such a decision was informed by the fact the department has recruited a huge number of South African citizens to be trained as doctors in Cuba. Some of these medical students have returned to South African medical schools to complete their training. The department will not have sufficient posts and funds to absorb these doctors should the recruitment and employment of foreign doctors not be reviewed and suspended.”

The circular also said the department believed it had a huge responsibility to ensure the Cuban-trained doctors were absorbed into the country’s healthcare sector but were experiencing challenges with it.

“Planning ahead is therefore crucial for this project to be successful bearing in mind the financial constraints.”

Gumede said the suspension was effective until further notice.

Sama’s vice-chairperson Mvuyisi Mzukwa said although it welcomed the first preference of South African medical practitioners, it was worried about the latest stance of the department and questioned its leadership. He said he was also concerned with the thinking behind the circular.

He said it was “questioning the leadership” of the department for issuing the circular and then eventually retracting it yesterday morning as it was a reflection of poor planning from the department.

“We were notified that they had retracted the circular (yesterday) morning. What was the thought process behind it? We think it was poor planning and suspect that it has to do with the fragmentation of departments themselves, so they feel they can do as they wish.

“It is not a good timing as well at a time when we are facing serious issues of xenophobia, they should have waited for the dust to settle,” said Mzukwa.

KZN health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu issued a statement saying: “I want to state categorically that there is no banning or suspension of the recruitment of foreign doctors. The circular should therefore be regarded as null and void, as it has not been processed through the MEC and the provincial executive.

“We deeply regret the confusion, and the impression created by the dissemination of this outdated circular with outdated decisions.

“In light of what has been happening in South Africa, we stand with our African brothers and sisters, and support the government’s efforts to deal with the situation,” Simelane-Zulu told The Citizen.

– jenniffero@citizen.co.za

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