Serious shortage of doctors in Xhariep, says DH

The National Department of Health has revealed there is a significant shortage of doctors in the Xhariep district, in the Free State province.

Out of 27 vacancies across eight of its health centres, only four positions are currently filled. The department said there is also a shortage of other medical professionals, including nurses and pharmacists.

The discovery was made during a visit to the district by the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Gwendoline Ramokgopa, during which the minister was tasked with measuring the capacity of Xhariep in contributing towards health targets in preparation for the National Health Insurance (NHI) system.

Patients in Xhariep rely heavily on mobile health services due to the distances between residential areas and healthcare facilities. The Free State MEC for Health, Ms Fezi Ngubentombi, stated that there are plans underway to build a new hospital and a new clinic to “address these challenges”.