A yearning for better healthcare
AT AGE 21, a Durban North medical student has made history by becoming the youngest chairperson of the National Executive Committee of the SA Medical Students Association (Samsa).
Kapil Narain, whose term in office will end in a year, is hoping to motivate all members of their chapters to reach their ultimate potential by ensuring maximum change is effected in society.
“As medical students and future doctors, we are in the privileged position of fuelling and driving the creation of a brighter future in the healthcare sector.
“I want to ensure that all activities possess the propensity to develop medical students as well as uplift society and combat social injustices locally, nationally and ultimately globally,” said Narain, a third-year student at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine in KwaZulu-Natal.
Narain, a research trainee at the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) and founding member of the UKZN Physicians Society, was recognised as one of the top 40 most inspiring students in UKZN this year.
He hopes to use his new position to tackle pertinent issues, including the shortage of internship posts.
“I am led to believe that there are almost 300 recent MBChB graduates, who are sitting unplaced and unemployed. These students have sacrificed six years of their lives so that one day they can serve communities but are instead at home. This is immoral, considering we need more doctors in the country.”
Narain said he would focus on ensuring the issue was highlighted and work towards a plan of action.
Among his numerous responsibilities, Narain will work with the Junior Doctors Association of South Africa in raising awareness on the long and physically draining working hours of doctors.
“Together with SAMA, I intend on placing further pressure on the government to improve working conditions, facilities and equipment in hospitals.
“There is a shortage of posts for interns, poor infrastructure, buildings are not maintained, improper roofing, lack of medicine, inadequate equipment and a shortage of specialists due to these conditions.”
Pertaining to the race quotas at medical schools, where some high-achievers are forced to pursue their tertiary studies in countries including India, Mauritius and China, Narain said: “The quotas are incredibly stringent and for some, studying overseas is not a choice but the only option.
“Indian students wanting to get into the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine must get over 94% averages and many good students are rejected simply because of the harsh quotas.
“No parent wants to send their child to China, Mauritius or India and other far-off destinations. However, many hard-working and passionate students are unable to make the cut because of draconian entrance requirements fuelled by the limited number of spaces in medical school exacerbated by the quotas.”
The sorrowful part, said Narain, was the astronomical fees of studying abroad, language barriers and the disharmony between the syllabi, which required students to write a difficult conversion exam. “My hope is that more medical schools are built as we need more doctors.”
The former Crawford College pupil added that there needed to be efficient administrative systems and excellent care provided for patients.
“There needs to be more specialists, especially considering the oncology crisis in KZN and many patients with cancer, who cannot afford private treatment are thus left stranded. The shortages of doctors, specialists and interns are crippling the system.”
In his spare time, he volunteers at the Baby Home in Durban North and makes sandwiches for patients at the King Edward VIII Hospital.