brain drain staff shortages medical

A general view of Tygerberg Hospital on November 19, 2020 in Cape Town, South Africa. Photo: Gallo Images/Misha Jordaan

Medical brain drain? Regions with ‘worst staff shortages in SA’ revealed

Figures shared by the government reveal that, in some parts of the country, around 50% of top medical jobs remain VACANT.

brain drain staff shortages medical

A general view of Tygerberg Hospital on November 19, 2020 in Cape Town, South Africa. Photo: Gallo Images/Misha Jordaan

South Africa appears to be struggling with the retention of skilled healthcare professionals – and some regions in particular are missing a large amount of key workers. The latest numbers, supplied via a Parliamentary Q&A session, have led to fears of an upcoming ‘medical brain drain‘ for Mzansi.

Will we face a medical brain drain in South Africa?

In one province, nearly HALF of all specialist medical vacancies remain unfilled. Drilling into the specifics, we can see that there’s a serious shortage of available nurses threatening SA’s hospitals, too.

More than one in eight nursing jobs remain vacant, and according to the DA, a devastating loss of ‘temporary workers’ appointed to help manage the worst of the pandemic has had a detrimental affect:

  • South Africa currently has a vacancy rate of 18.6% for specialist medical personnel.
  • Meanwhile, over 13% of all nursing vacancies remain unoccupied in Mzansi.
  • Alarm bells are ringing in the Northern Cape, where almost half of all specialist medical jobs (46%) are not filled.
  • Nursing vacancies are the highest in Free State, with over 25% of available posts going to waste.
  • The Western Cape, meanwhile, has vacancies in fewer than 1 in 10 specialist medical jobs.
  • Meanwhile, just 5.5% of nursing jobs are going unstaffed in WC – both rates are the best in SA.

Unfilled vacancies, NHI changes could worsen staff shortages

Michele Clarke is the Shadow Minister of Health. She has slammed her political rivals in the ANC, saying that they are ‘failing to adequately prepare’ for the National Health Insurance model, which comes into force in 2026.

Clarke is now concerned that this latest data, combined with the unpopularity of the NHI scheme amongst the medical fraternity, will provide fertile ground for a devastating ‘brain drain’ in South Africa – and many of our top healthcare professionals are tipped to ‘work overseas’ if offered a chance.

“In March this year, thousands of temporary COVID staff were let go. The reason for this is that Provincial Health Departments lacked the funds to retain staff after the peak of the pandemic. Challenges in the healthcare sector include a shortage of medical skills and a shortage of funds to absorb these critical skills into the system.”

“It is clear that the ANC government cannot currently fill critical health vacancies. It is therefore doubtful that they will be able to do so when the NHI will inevitably lead to a brain drain. The DA calls on the Department of Health to present solutions on filling vacancies for nurses and medical specialists as a matter of utmost urgency.”

Michele Clarke