Political rhetoric has become overwhelming, flooding public discourse with geopolitical crises and unresolved issues. However, amid the debacles, we should remember to look inward. Among the most pressing concerns for this publication is the failure to integrate trained doctors into formal employment, with the awareness that a future without enough doctors — or worse none — is unimaginable.
The significance of medical professionals cannot be overstated. Without medical intervention, survival rates would plummet. An infection that once meant certain death is now treatable. High-risk pregnancies that once posed fatal threats are now manageable under expert medical supervision. Doctors ensure that people live, thrive and contribute to society.
Yet, despite their irreplaceable role, doctors are being failed by the system. This failure extends to society as a whole.
Just three weeks ago, unemployed doctors protested outside the office of the premier in Pietermaritzburg to hand over a memorandum of demands which included immediate placement of doctors.
The doctors also demanded transparent workforce planning.
Leadership must extend beyond rhetoric and take decisive action to ensure doctors — lifesavers and essential pillars of society — are employed and accessible
Earlier this year, health minister Aaron Motsoaledi said severe austerity measures and “very crippling” budget cuts affect not only our capacity to hire doctors but to perform a large number of functions.
“We agree with the grievances of doctors, but in the final analysis, you cannot give a job for which you do have the means to pay,” he said. Almost 2,000 qualified doctors are unemployed.
This is just unacceptable to say the least, and something has to be done urgently to ensure they are absorbed into the public health system which needs their services.
According to Stats SA, South Africa's infant mortality rate has declined from 3.2% in 2012 to 2.7% in 2022 — commendable progress. However, with a growing population and a shrinking pool of employed doctors, these gains risk stagnation or even regression. A government that reacts to crises rather than prevents them is risking lives. This issue is a matter of life and death.
A nation's development and progress is closely linked to the health of its citizens. Contrary to the belief that economic growth must precede health-care investment, the reality is the opposite. A country cannot prosper if its workforce is unhealthy.
Investors seek stability and longevity, and a nation struggling with inadequate health-care services will always rank poorly in this regard. The fewer doctors available, the weaker the health-care system becomes, and the more precarious economic and social stability will be.
Government leaders frequently discuss plans to attract investment, yet they fail to address a fundamental question: how can a skilled workforce be sustained without access to medical care? Due to its failing system, South Africa already provides health care to patients from neighbouring Zimbabwe. With regional demand increasing, investing in more doctors is not just a necessity — it is an obligation. A nation that prioritises health care strengthens its future.
A well-functioning health-care system is essential for societal progress. While personal responsibility for health is important, access to medical care remains critical. If current trends persist, access to medical professionals may no longer be guaranteed for future generations.
With the upcoming budget speech, the expectation is for finance minister Enoch Godongwana to prioritise this crisis. Leadership must extend beyond rhetoric and take decisive action to ensure doctors — lifesavers and essential pillars of society — are employed and accessible.
The future of the country depends on it.
For opinion and analysis consideration, e-mail Opinions@timeslive.co.za
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