By REGINALD KANYANE
1 April 2026 – The North West Department of Health said it is pleased to announce significant progress in the appointment of unemployed doctors, who are bursary holders and have completed their community service before December 2025. The department said this milestone marks a critical step in strengthening the province’s healthcare system and ensuring improved access to quality healthcare services for all residents.
The North West MEC for Health, Sello Lehari said out of a total of 66 bursary holders allocated within the District Health Services (DHS) branch, 62 doctors have already been successfully appointed, representing an impressive 94% completion rate. Lehari said in addition, within the Hospital and Clinical Support Services (HCSS) branch, 29 out of 35 allocated posts have been filled, achieving an 83% appointment rate.
“Notably, a total of 61 Medical Officers commenced duty on 1 March 2026 in the DHS branch, while 29 Medical Officers started work within HCSS facilities during the same period.
“These placements significantly bolster capacity across district hospitals and primary healthcare (PHC) facilities, where 25 and 41 doctors have been deployed respectively,” he said.
Lehari further said it should be noted that, while efforts were made to absorb all these unemployed doctors, there are those who were offered appointment letters but rejected the offers as they were already employed elsewhere. He added that, the progress is a direct outcome of focused interventions by the department, including structured engagements with key stakeholders such as the South African Medical Association Trade Union.
“These engagements have been instrumental in resolving bottlenecks, improving coordination, and accelerating the absorption of unemployed doctors into the public health system.
“We welcome this achievement. We are highly encouraged by the progress made in appointing our bursary-funded doctors who have completed their community service,” said Lehari.
He said this is a clear demonstration of commitment to not only invest in the training of healthcare professionals, but to ensure their meaningful absorption into the system. Lehari said they extend their sincere appreciation to all stakeholders, including SAMATU, departmental officials and facility managers, whose collaboration has made this possible.
“These efforts are critical in strengthening service delivery, reducing patient waiting times, and ensuring that our communities receive the quality healthcare they deserve.
“We emphasise that the initiative contributes meaningfully to job creation and the fight against unemployment, particularly among young medical professionals,” he said.
Lehari said it also advances the implementation of the province’s Human Resources for Health Strategy, which seeks to ensure the optimal distribution and utilisation of healthcare workers. He said the department remains committed to finalising the remaining appointments and ensuring that all qualifying doctors are integrated into the health system without delay.
“Ongoing interviews for additional bursary holders who completed community service between December 2025 and March 2026, will further enhance staffing levels across the province.
“This achievement underscores the North West Department of Health’s unwavering commitment to building a resilient, responsive, and people-centred healthcare system,” said Lehari.
The Guardian 