East Cape seeks to fill 1 800 posts at hospitals

THE provincial Department of Health has set aside R300-million to fill more than 1 800 critical posts.

The posts include doctors, nurses and specialists for maternity sections of 26 hospitals, including the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha, Frere and Cecilia Makiwane in East London, and Livingstone Hospital in Port Elizabeth.

Provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said: “R300-million was allocated to the department to assist with human resource improvements to assist about 26 hospitals across the province which were soft targets of medico-legal claims.”

Kupelo said the recruitment process for hundreds of health workers had already begun.

The department posted more vacancies on its website earlier this month, which will close tomorrow.

These include 38 nursing posts for Frere Hospital, nine medical doctors for Mthatha Hospital, radiographers for Cathcart, Tafalofefe and Bedford hospitals, as well as heads of clinical units for Mthatha, Livingstone and clinical managers for Cala, Glen Grey and St Patrick’s hospitals.

Kupelo said Butterworth Hospital, for example, had five medical doctors, but from the beginning of this month 19 more doctors had been hired.

As part of the plan, 500 nursing assistants would also be hired and placed at 26 identified hospitals.

Health MEC Phumza Dyantyi and superintendent-general Dr Thobile Mbengashe presented the detailed report at the cabinet lekgotla held at Mpekweni Resorts, which ended on Saturday.