Faced by shortages of skilled staff brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the government plans to hire retired nurses and doctors.
In April Mkhize came under fire after government brought in about 200 Cuban medical professionals at a cost of R440m a year. At the time, the SA Medical Association , said there were plenty of unemployed and retired doctors in SA who could have been recruited by the government before it turned to Cuba. It said SA had over 15,000 doctors in the private sector, most of whom wanted to be involved, but did not have an entry portal.
“The experts include epidemiologists, biostatisticians and public health specialists to support the national joint operations; family physicians for the nine provinces for interventions on the ground/at community level; health-care technology engineers; and experts to support the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority in facilitating the availability of new treatment agents for use in the country,” the minister said.
This however, is done in accordance with the department of public service & administration circular which aims to protect the health and wellbeing of vulnerable employees, he said.