POLOKWANE – Emergency medical students from Limpopo will have to receive training from institutions outside the province.
This because the Limpopo College of Emergency Care’s licence was recently revoked by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) because the institute did not meet certain criteria.
The training college was the only one of its kind in the province.
This was confirmed by health spokesperson, Macks Lesufi.
“On assessment and evaluation of the training college, the HPCSA recommended the suspension of its licence until certain conditions, which include infrastructure and training programmes, are met.
“These conditions have been tabled and the department is putting a process in place to meet the requirements,” Lesufi said.
“The department acknowledges the current shortage of specific levels of paramedics in the country. The current closure of the college is a temporary measure and once the requirements are complied to, training will resume.
“The interested candidates who want to train as paramedics are referred to colleges in the neighbouring provinces for this calendar year,” Lesufi said.
Lesufi further said the department was currently busy with labour-related discussions with four officials from the emergency medical services (EMS).
“Four officials from the EMS have raised labour-related issues. However, such discussions are governed by the Labour Relations Act and details of the matters cannot be disclosed,” Lesufi said.
Review also received complaints from EMS officials who said they were not allowed to take study leave.
“In every workplace employees are allowed study leave except for us. This is unfair, and the department cannot give us a valid reason why we cannot have study leave,” the officials claimed.
Lesufi said study leave was regulated in terms of the Public Regulations Act and intended to increase productivity and capacity building.
“Approval of study leave is informed by meeting such conditions including the significance of the programme to service delivery.”
