UPDATE:
Speaking to the Sunday Tribune today, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the R600 million budget he referred to when he addressed specialists at an event in November was a 2010 budget set aside to train 1000 specialists nationally. It was not specifically meant for KZN.
He said unfortunately, the money arrived at the provinces as an equitable share. This means the provinces were not necessarily obliged to use it for the training of specialists but could use it for any area of need throughout the provincial government.
"I used this example to explain why in the white paper of the National Health Insurance, the government is proposing that all 10 central hospitals (hospitals attached to universities) must be funded, governed and managed nationally to avoid mishaps," said Motsoaledi.
He said he would call a press briefing later this week to address the issue of interns and medical officers who were unemployed.
Durban – With no money to pay new doctors or those working overtime and state hospitals in chaos, KwaZulu-Natal’s Health Department is facing outside administration.
Two health officials said this week they had been in a high-level meeting where this was discussed.
The department has projected R1.1-billion in over-spending this year.
And now people are asking how a R350-million injection in November (part of the 2016/17 adjustment budget) was spent.
There is also no sign of R600m promised by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi in November to train doctors in KZN, which he pledged.
Motsoaledi promised the money in front of doctors at the Coastlands Hotel in Musgrave, Durban, when he addressed the KZN Specialists Network's annual general meeting on November 17.
National Health spokesperson Popo Maja said arrangements were still being made with the National Treasury to pay over the money.
Meanwhile, the cash shortage has hit the public health service.
Already 51 new doctors in KwaZulu-Natal have no posts and are sitting at home, while senior consultants have been told there is no money to pay for their overtime.
A total of 126 doctors are jobless countrywide – the Sunday Independent has seen a list of their names.
And 136 have completed their degrees, but have not been placed as interns.
Maja said:“The position of the ministry is that all medical officer posts should be filled.
"The ministry is working hard to ensure all interns and community service officers are placed,” Maja said.
Despite these assurances, doctors say they are desperate.
Dr Zahid Badroodien, who chairs the Junior Doctors’ Association of SA, said he had two lists – one with the names of unemployed doctors, the other with interns still to be placed.
“If the department says there are positions available, it must provide a list of these so that unemployed doctors can apply for them.”
He said many doctors wanted to work in state hospitals because that was how they could specialise.
“Some do not have the capital to start private practices, and if they take up positions at private health institutions they can’t specialise.”
Dr Amil Bramdev, the secretary of the KZN Specialists Network, said it worried him that there were unemployed doctors in a province that had a shortage of doctors.
“There is also shortage of specialists and we are not training enough.”
He said specialists were now leaving the country because the local working conditions had become a joke.
“KwaZulu-Natal is one of the worst provinces in terms of the number of specialists available.
“In other provinces, jobs are being created but here posts are frozen.
“It comes down to how the funds are managed,” said Bramdev.
KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo, through his media department, did not grant an interview. Instead, spokesperson Sam Mkhwanazi responded: “Health is a priority for the government.
"As such, it has put in place measures and polices to improve the quality of health and outcomes.
These include providing funding for qualifying and deserving students.
“The government is alive to the reality that it has to provide services with the limited resources available at its disposal to satisfy unlimited needs – a world phenomenon.
“Health professionals, including doctors and pharmacists, are urged to make sacrifices.
"They must be prepared to go and serve wherever they are needed, including rural areas, in keeping with the spirit of community service.”