Sowetan
*Private healthcare a 'monster'* *SAPA, Sowetan, Johannesburg, 12 October 2011*SOUTH Africa's private healthcare system is a monster that will swallow the country whole, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said yesterday.
"People think I am mad, but the healthcare system wasn't always this way. Our shortage [of medical staff] is self-created," he said.
"Health is a fundamental human right and if we don't work together this monster will swallow us whole. This is not a joke."
Motsoaledi was speaking in Johannesburg at the launch of the human resource strategy for health. The sector needed a skilled workforce able to respond to the burden of disease and citizens' expectations of quality service.
He said a shortage of medical staff was caused by poor planning by the apartheid government.
"We are suffering because of their messes. We are also creating our own messes, but we need to stop this," Motsoaledi said.
Motsoaledi said the strategy included revamping existing hospitals, a new medical school, and increasing the quota of medical students at universities each year.
"We need many, many, many students, almost three times what we have now."And, even if we do this for 10 years, we still won't meet the amount for doctors that we need.
"The training of people from rural areas is important because when they finish studying they go back to practise in their areas."
Motsoaledi said he had spoken to deans at the universities and the University of the Witwatersrand had increased its intake by 40 students.
The Department of Health was creating posts for district teams comprising an obstetrician, gynaecologist, paediatrician, family physician, and anaesthetist.
"This running to a private specialist for every ailment is abnormal. Public health care should be the first step."
Motsoaledi said many private practitioners needed to move back into public healthcare to improve the quality of medical care and education.
"How to get these doctors back is the million dollar question. We will reveal our plans soon."
*From: http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2011/10/12/private-healthcare-a-monster*
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