Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS)
30 June 1998
Pretoria - The Medical, Dental and Supplementary Health Services Professional Act, which provides for compulsory community service for all newly qualified doctors commences on Wednesday, July 1, said Dr Ayanda Ntsaluba, Acting Director-General. The Act that empowers the Minister of Health to make community service compulsory, was passed last year to ensure that the services of medical doctors were available to all South Africans.
Dr Ntsaluba said community service for medical graduates was another step towards improved and accessible health care services for all South Africans. The first group of 23 doctors would be laying the basis for a bigger intake of 1 200 in January 1999.
The Department of Health has already received more than 90% of applications from MEDICAL INTERNS who would be starting community service early next year and was in the process of finalising where they would be placed. "We will try our best to ensure that all those who are starting in January 1999 would know by the end of September where they would be posted" Dr Ntsaluba said.
He added that the aim of community service is to give junior doctors an opportunity to get hands-on experience on the South African reality as well as be of service to the country.
The Department will be opening discussions with other health professionals in due course with a view to extending community service to them.