The South African Medical Association (SAMA) has expressed deep concern on the impact of the #FeesMustFall protests on final year medical students at Health Sciences Faculties across South Africa.
SAMA noted that Interns and Junior Doctors are the bedrock on which the public healthcare system is based, and that any disruption to their production will have dire consequences.
“The public healthcare system is, as we all know, under immense strain. It is a fragile system and is highly dependent on the annual replenishing of new graduates into the system. Jeopardising this new intake will seriously impede healthcare delivery, and will ultimately have a knock-on effect on patient morbidity and even mortality,” said Dr Mzukisi Grootboom, chairperson of SAMA.
Dr Grootboom said that apart from this immediate challenge, the medium to long-term consequences of a lack of Interns and Junior Doctors would also be significant.
“Clearly the issues apply equally to the graduation of all professional cadres from our universities, including other healthcare and non-healthcare professionals. Our concern however is based on the potential negative impact on patient care and the consequences for our public healthcare system that delivers healthcare to the most vulnerable in our country,” he said.
SAMA called on all students, universities and government to find each other in this matter in the interests of South Africa’s future. It noted that government demonstrated a lack of leadership so far and urged it to intervene urgently.
“South Africa is a resilient country known for resolving its issues through peaceful dialogue; the current events call for that approach to be exercised again. A lasting solution to free quality education, from primary through to higher education, needs to be sought with a degree of urgency. Without the proper education of our people, our country will never make the strides it needs to address the economic needs, and imbalances that prevail,” Dr Grootboom concluded.
Notes to Editors
About SAMA
The South African Medical Association was formally constituted on 21 May 1998 as a unification of a variety of doctors’ groups that had represented a diversity of interests. SAMA is a non-statutory, professional association for public, and private sector medical practitioners. SAMA is a voluntary membership association, existing to serve the best interests and needs of its members in any and all healthcare related matters.
Contact:
Head of PR & Communications
Dr Simonia Magardie
082 905 8505
Email: simoniam@samedical.org
Spokesperson 1
Chairperson: SAMA
Dr Mzukisi Grootboom
083 306 7779
Email: mzukisi@mweb.co.za
Spokesperson 2
Vice-Chairperson: SAMA
Prof Mark Sonderup
083 626 1909
Email: msonderup@samedical.co.za