DURBAN – A Durban surgeon and an anaesthesiologist who were kicked out of the KZN Department of Health after their four years of training are disheartened that they have been left in limbo.
They hoped to have offered a much-needed service to public health, but instead had their contracts terminated despite a critical need for specialists in local hospitals.
Surgeon, Dr Veshal Maharaj, has opted to open his own practice in Reservoir Hills, while anaesthetist, Saiyuran Naidoo, still hopes positions would be made available in the province.
Both doctors are aware of the reality on the ground as they had trained at Addington and Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central hospitals. Like them, there are at least 42 other specialists who completed the registrar programme in December who are waiting for specialist posts to be advertised.
On Friday, more than 1 000 doctors joined SA Medical Association (Sama) KZN in a protest march that highlighted concerns such as the small number of specialists being hired. The organisation also said a shortage of anaesthesiologists was resulting in a backlog of critical operations.
Maharaj, who was one of the doctors awarded a service excellence award at Addington during his four-year training, was in disbelief that the department could not create positions for general surgeons.
All specialists who entered the system with him were sent e-mails to say their contracts would be terminated on December 25.
These were later extended for three months.
In March, the three-month contracts were terminated, leaving some jobless. Others settled for other posts within the department, such as medical officer – which was not specific to their training.
They were told they would be added back to the system and should return to their base hospitals. To date, KZN Health’s human resources department has given them the run around, they said.
“I know they are not indebted to give us jobs, but why kick us out when there is a desperate need for us on the ground? I am grateful to the public health system for training me in those four years as a general surgeon and I really could have given them many more years of service if they had made posts available. Those on the ground understand the challenges we face in our hospitals and to note that they can get rid of newly-qualified surgeons is disturbing,” said Maharaj.
He said even if he wanted to re-enter public health, he would think twice because opening a practice of his own means his employees now depended on him.
“I have employed a staff of 10. But this was never my initial plan. I could not tolerate being pushed from pillar to post and the uncertainty of not knowing whether I would have a job tomorrow, forced me to create another plan for myself.
“I worry about other doctors who didn’t have a backup plan and relied on KZN Health to create jobs for them.”
Naidoo, the anaesthesiologist, said he was still hopeful the department would make positions available and, while he waited, he was trying to take on private jobs.
“Right until the 11th hour we were given hope that there would be positions available for us so I didn’t even bother considering a plan B, but the department just kicked us out.
“This is absolutely disheartening.
“I know there is a dire need for anaesthetists because I have seen it on the ground and I still find it hard to believe that I find myself unemployed,” said Naidoo.
The KZN Department of Health did not respond to queries specific to specialist posts but said doctors should look out for job adverts and compete for posts when they become available.