Cape Town - The South African Health Department announced it had concluded the placement of medical graduates into the Internship and Community Service Programmes (ICSP).
According to the department's spokesperson, Foster Mohale, the process has been completed successfully for the next annual intake, scheduled to commence in January 2023.
“A total of 9 647 eligible South African citizens and permanent residents who applied for both medical internship (2 402) opportunities and community service (7 245) opportunities were successfully allocated to enhance services in the public health sector as part of the last phase of their academic programme.
“Almost 96.75% of the total applicants were allocated in their first five priority choices, and only 3.25% were allocated outside their preferred five priority options,” Mohale said.
He said the department has allocated 73.96% of applicants to health facilities in rural and semi-rural areas while 2.604% of applicants were allocated to urban areas.
“This is part of government efforts to prioritise rural and under-served areas in the country.
“The ICSP system has a functionality which allows the applicants to swop or exchange their allocated posts,” Mohale said.
He said online applications were processed between October 14 and 28 in accordance with the ICSP guidelines, the Public Service Regulations of 2016, the Public Service Act and the Immigration Act of 2002.
Mohale said priority was given to South Africans who studied in local and foreign institutions of higher learning and met the minimum requirements, followed by permanent residents and, thereafter, foreign nationals, depending on the availability of resources and funded posts.
“The final results of allocation will be signed-off and sent to the Provincial Departments of Health, South African Military Health Services, and Department of Correctional Services for further processing and finalisation, which entails issuing of appointment letters to successful applicants,” he added.
IOL