The department of health will from Thursday commence with the allocation of medical graduates in batches.
The department said this is to ensure that provinces proceed with the placement of eligible medical graduates in various facilities to commence with the internship and community service training programme (ICSP) for the mid-year cycle.
This comes after a group of more than 200 medical interns had expressed concerns after they missed two placements in public hospitals as a result of funding. According to e-mails from the ICSP, the junior doctors were supposed to be placed by April 1 which was postponed to June 11, but nothing happened.
Health spokesperson Popo Maja said the consultation process with the national Treasury and provincial health departments is ongoing to source additional funding for 155 accredited posts, to ensure that all 288 medical graduates waiting to undergo the programme during the second semester are placed.
"The department acknowledges the frustration expressed by the medical graduates and appeals for patience, as some will not receive the confirmation for placement today [Thursday]," Maja said.
"The regular public updates and notifications with the affected students will be maintained as the consultation process unfolds to keep everyone abreast of the developments."
Department of health promises to start placing medical interns
Image: 123RF/Samsonovs
The department of health will from Thursday commence with the allocation of medical graduates in batches.
The department said this is to ensure that provinces proceed with the placement of eligible medical graduates in various facilities to commence with the internship and community service training programme (ICSP) for the mid-year cycle.
This comes after a group of more than 200 medical interns had expressed concerns after they missed two placements in public hospitals as a result of funding. According to e-mails from the ICSP, the junior doctors were supposed to be placed by April 1 which was postponed to June 11, but nothing happened.
Health spokesperson Popo Maja said the consultation process with the national Treasury and provincial health departments is ongoing to source additional funding for 155 accredited posts, to ensure that all 288 medical graduates waiting to undergo the programme during the second semester are placed.
"The department acknowledges the frustration expressed by the medical graduates and appeals for patience, as some will not receive the confirmation for placement today [Thursday]," Maja said.
"The regular public updates and notifications with the affected students will be maintained as the consultation process unfolds to keep everyone abreast of the developments."
Funding negotiations under way as medical interns await placement
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