Briefing parliament’s health portfolio committee on the state of the nursing profession in the country, the department has revealed that the shortage of nurses compromises healthcare services and that conditions in which those employed in many public facilities find themselves under is still a concern. The department further revealed that the lack of funding for nursing colleges also remains a problem as only a few of the colleges that were closed for refurbishment in the Eastern Cape have been opened, while none were re-opened in the Northern Cape.

The report tabled before the committee indicates that the Harry Surtie Nursing School, Pixley-Kaseme Nursing School, and the Kimberley Hospital Nursing school are amongst some of the training facilities in the Northern Cape that remain shut due to the lack of funding despite having been closed for more than a decade.

According to the latest South African Nursing Council Statistics on the provincial distribution of nursing manpower versus the population of South Africa, just over 3600 nurses have to cater to the population of more than 1.2 million people in the Northern Cape.

Meanwhile, the Chairperson for the Health Committee, Lindelwa Dunjwa, has in a statement called for the appointment of more nurses at public healthcare facilities as employees are overburdened, the reopening of nursing colleges, and for the well-being of nurses to be prioritised.

Dunjwa has further expressed concerns over the salaries and working conditions of nurses throughout the country.

In efforts to improve the quality of the healthcare system, the department has committed to hire more nurses, re-open more nursing schools, and upgrade the nursing programme and curriculum as part of their professional development. The developed curriculum is expected to be effective as of January 2020.

OFM News