MONTHS after the government and doctors' unions signed an agreement, many public sector doctors are still waiting for their occupation specific dispensation to be implemented.
MONTHS after the government and doctors' unions signed an agreement, many public sector doctors are still waiting for their occupation specific dispensation to be implemented.
The delay has been caused by misunderstanding and misinterpretation of the OSD, according to Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.
"I have personally received calls from doctors complaining about their OSDs. As a result I called a meeting with heads of departments, including the human resources. It has emerged from the meetings that there is a lot of confusion about OSD," Motsoaledi said yesterday.
Motsoaledi met the health MECs from all nine provinces, HODs and doctors' unions this week to discuss an action plan. Among the issues tackled were the implementation of OSDs for health workers, national health insurance and the burden caused by infectious diseases.
"HIV-Aids and TB will be given priority because they have become a burden. Other diseases such as rotavirus and measles will not be neglected. Our immunisation programmes will be strengthen," he said.
Motsoaledi said progress has been made on the implementation of NHI.
"We have learnt many lessons from countries that already use the NHI system. South Africa will not be following a certain country's model but has picked what works from different countries," he said.
He admitted that all countries that were using the national health insurance system had been experiencing problems with it.
"We are anticipating problems as well with the implementation of NHI. But we will deal with them as they come."
Doctors still waiting for OSD implementation
MONTHS after the government and doctors' unions signed an agreement, many public sector doctors are still waiting for their occupation specific dispensation to be implemented.
MONTHS after the government and doctors' unions signed an agreement, many public sector doctors are still waiting for their occupation specific dispensation to be implemented.
The delay has been caused by misunderstanding and misinterpretation of the OSD, according to Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.
"I have personally received calls from doctors complaining about their OSDs. As a result I called a meeting with heads of departments, including the human resources. It has emerged from the meetings that there is a lot of confusion about OSD," Motsoaledi said yesterday.
Motsoaledi met the health MECs from all nine provinces, HODs and doctors' unions this week to discuss an action plan. Among the issues tackled were the implementation of OSDs for health workers, national health insurance and the burden caused by infectious diseases.
"HIV-Aids and TB will be given priority because they have become a burden. Other diseases such as rotavirus and measles will not be neglected. Our immunisation programmes will be strengthen," he said.
Motsoaledi said progress has been made on the implementation of NHI.
"We have learnt many lessons from countries that already use the NHI system. South Africa will not be following a certain country's model but has picked what works from different countries," he said.
He admitted that all countries that were using the national health insurance system had been experiencing problems with it.
"We are anticipating problems as well with the implementation of NHI. But we will deal with them as they come."