South Africa says too many doctors are moving to Canada

August 24 2009 by Mark Johnstone

South African needs its doctors

A report by South Africa’s High Commissioner in Canada, Dr Abraham Sokaya Nkomo, says that South Africa needs to encourage more doctors to stay in or move to South Africa to deal with a skills shortage.

A report by South Africa’s High Commissioner in Canada, Dr Abraham Sokaya Nkomo, says that South Africa needs to encourage more doctors to stay in, or move to South Africa to deal with a skills shortage.

The report says that too many South Africa doctors are moving to Canada, making it more difficult for South Africa to provide a, “good quality, easily accessible and equitable services.”

Nkomo's report explains that of the 1,832 doctors operating in Canada’s Saskatchewan region, 277 family practitioners and 96 specialists are from South Africa, attracted by high wages and existing South African communities.

However, Dr. Fauzo Ramadan, senior medical officer of the Five Hills Health Region in southern Saskatchewan, claims South Africa needs to do more to ensure doctors want to stay in the country by making sure they are well paid and have a secure and safe living environment.

The high presence of diseases such as HIV and TB make the shortage of doctors ever-more problematic in South Africa. Foreign doctors wishing to work in South Africa are encouraged to apply for a South African visa to enable them to offer their help where it is most needed while living in a beautiful country.

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