Health posts open in KZN

Monday, February 1, 2010

Pretoria - Due to a shortage of health care workers in the province, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health has decided to "un-freeze" clinical posts in seven institutions and a component of head office.

This follows Provincial Health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo's announcement in January that 26 institutions would begin recruiting and filling clinical posts.

The hospitals that have been granted permission to recruit and fill the critical posts include Christ the King, Dunstan Farrell, Hlengisizwe CHC, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial, Murchison, Tongaat CHC, Umzinto Clinic (under GJ Crookes) and Health Technology Services.

Dr Dhlomo said it was difficult to find solutions to the current human resource crisis, especially in a resource scarce country like South Africa and that the complex conditions under which the department was working demanded innovation and teamwork.

"While we are aware of the issues and are developing human resource strategies, the problem is that we are working in a fast changing context," Dr Dhlomo said.

He noted that other requests for unfreezing posts were still being considered by the relevant senior managers and would be submitted to him, once recommended by the head of department.

The government plans to overhaul the health care system, include ensuring that at all levels they are committed leaders and qualified human resource managers to translate strategies and frameworks for financing options and fast tracking of education and human resource reform into solutions on the ground.