South African medics threaten court action as staff shortages hit COVID response

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JOHANNESBURG – The South African Medical Association threatened on Thursday to take the government to court because scores of new junior doctors cannot find placements despite staff shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SAMA said it was “scandalous” that, during a third wave of infections, 228 medical interns who graduated in March and April were waiting for the government to place them at public hospitals to complete their training.

A spokesperson at the Department of Health did not respond to a request for comment.

“They (the interns) were supposed to all have been placed by today,” Angelique Coetzee, SAMA chairperson, told Reuters…

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