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Dr Nicholas Crisp’s false statement about the number of doctors in South Africa is just another bright red warning light for the government’s plans to implement the National Health Insurance (NHI).

As the deputy director general of health, Dr Crisp said on record that there is no shortage of doctors, because the Department of Health “at this stage is struggling to give work to all the doctors qualified in this country.” 
He is also a prominent campaigner for the implementation of the NHI. 

Although he denies that there is a shortage of doctors in South Africa, there is some contradicting evidence. Up to a thousand frustrated junior doctors and other recently graduated medical practitioners are asking for solutions on social media and elsewhere to their frustration with the problems regarding their placement for community service and jobs. 

Theuns du Buisson, economic researcher at the Solidarity Research Institute (SRI), says the real reason for the failure to place doctors is being concealed by the Department of Health.

“The core of the problem lies in a serious shortage of funds and Dr Crisp chooses to ignore it. The Department of Health is experiencing serious challenges financially and with management, leading to an inability to place healthcare graduates. 

“This is a problem that extends beyond just the immediate issue of unemployment and career frustration among doctors. This of course also has an impact on access to healthcare for millions of South Africans, especially in communities where doctors in their community service years are the only doctors available,” says Du Buisson.  

South Africa does have a serious shortage of doctors. In Canada, there are 2,77 doctors per 1 000 patients, and there it is regarded as insufficient. In South Africa, the ratio is 0,8 doctors per 1 000 patients. Moreover, many doctors have already indicated that they will emigrate under the new proposed NHI system.

“The problem with placements will not be solved by the NHI either. However, this can be improved by allowing doctors to complete their community service years in the private sector and by allowing the private sector to train doctors,” continues Du Buisson. 

Solidarity therefore appeals to the government to urgently put structures in place to get doctors placed. Solidarity also hopes that this state of affairs, which is repeated annually, will be a wake-up call to the government to abandon its plans with the NHI and its much larger structures.

Issued by Solidarity