File
The South African Medical Association said a circular issued by the Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury regarding the Compensation of Employees in the provincial health department was yet another example of the failing health system in the province.
SAMA said in a hard-hitting statement on Friday that the November circular highlighted the "continued disconnect between the national and provincial health departments."
Chairperson, Dr Angelique Coetzee, said one of the points raised in the circular was that the Compensation of Employees can be reduced through the freezing of 'non-essential' appointments but it allows for the appointment of so-called critical posts, with revised motivations.
But, Dr Coetzee said nowhere in the circular is there any clarification on how these critical posts will be determined, and by whom.
"The same applies to overtime. There is a ceiling of 30% on overtime but the circular doesn't spell out what the base salary is on which this is to be applied," she noted.
Dr Coetzee said another worrying factor is that the Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has said on several occasions that medical posts must and will be filled to cope with demand, especially increased demand brought on by COVID-19.
However, the circular from the "Provincial Treasury is moving in the opposite direction", which she said was an ongoing situation that was frustrating and worrying with patients in the province being the biggest losers.
She noted that while the VW-sponsored field hospital is capable of accommodating 1485 patients there was not enough staff and doctors, but the Provincial Treasury now freezes posts.
Dr Coetzee said the Eastern Cape Treasury was also vague on how the posts it deems acceptable to be filled, must be filled.
"It's truly alarming and concerning, and this dithering is having disastrous outcomes on healthcare provision in the province," she said.
In another concerning development, Dr Coetzee said it was "unbelievable that Doctors Without Borders (MSF) had to fill vacant positions at the Volkswagen-donated facility with volunteers, primarily because of the problems within the provincial health department."
Dr Coetzee said MSF noted in a statement that the public health system in the Eastern Cape reached the brink of collapse in November due to a catastrophic shortage of human resources.
"Yet, we now have the freezing of posts and no clear direction on how to fill critical positions. It's beyond being an untenable situation, it's unethical because the provincial government is playing with people's lives. What's needed instead is a critical-post review committee at hospitals which can identify those posts which need filling," she said.
Dr Coetzee said: "It's quite obvious that the Eastern Cape Department of Health is poorly managed, and the processes which must be followed won't be. What should be done, and what the national government wants done in the province, is not happening in the Eastern Cape."
The South African Medical Association said what was happening in the Eastern Cape "has caused a total failure of the system, and because there is no immediate, professional, or skilled intervention the situation is only getting worse."
