Question NW791 to the Minister of Health
08 June 2020 - NW791
Gwarube, Ms S to ask the Minister of Health
What (a) steps has his department taken to recruit volunteer (i) nurses and (ii) doctors for the fight against Covid-19 and (b) total number of volunteer (i) nurses and (ii) doctors have been recruited in each province?
Reply:
1. (a) (i) and (ii) The Health Sector has placed advertisements on National and Provincial platforms to recruit volunteers and retired health professions (i.e. nurses and doctors) for the fight against Covid-19.
2. The table below informs of number of volunteers (i) nurses and (ii) doctors recruited in each Province:
|
Province |
Status of responding to Covid-19 to date |
|
Eastern Cape |
The Province has not employed any volunteers to date. However, in response to Covid-19 a total of 669 Nurses and 3 Medical Doctors have been employed. |
|
Free State |
The Province has not employed any volunteers to date. However, in response to Covid-19 a total of 533 Nurses and 1 Medical Doctor have been employed. |
|
Gauteng |
Gauteng has appointed 9 volunteers (5 MO; 2 nurses and 2 Admin clerks as data capturers). 1200 volunteers are enlisted but not deployed as yet due to them not covered by COIDA. Appointments for COVID-19 has been done in two phases: have 1- 404 appointments have been made up of 360 nurses and 44 Medical Officers Phase 2 is in the process of ensuring that 169 Doctors; 915 nurses and Allied health professionals are appointed to a tune of R500 m |
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
The Province has not employed any volunteers to date. However, the Province has advertised posts with a closing date of 5 June 2020 and can only commence with a selection process after the said date. |
|
Limpopo |
A number of health care professionals have submitted their documents as an indication of their willingness to join the department. A database is being developed, and costed in line with the expected increases. The necessary approvals to recruit and appoint will be concluded, so that as and when it is necessary, the health professionals will be activated for appointment. To date no one has been recruited as the level infections are still low. |
|
Mpumalanga |
Mpumalanga Department of Health has not appointed either Nurses or Doctors as volunteers for the fight against COVID - 19. However, up to the 30 April 2020, a total number of 492 Nurses have been appointed on a six-month contract. |
|
Northern Cape |
The Province has not employed any volunteers to date. However, the Province have since appointed additional personnel on a sessional basis or on fixed term contracts. |
|
North West |
The Province has only managed to recruit nurses and doctors on contract and no volunteers have been recruited. Province have since appointed additional personnel on a sessional basis or on fixed term contracts: 18 Professional nurses 6 Sessional doctors 34 Environmental Health Practitioners |
|
Western Cape |
The Province has established an online Volunteer Information Management System (VIMS). A total number of volunteers appointed to date are: (i) Nurses 460 (ii) Doctors 256 Others i. Student Nurses 20 ii. Student Doctors 6 iii. Pharmacy 90 iv. Pharmacy Assistants 180 v. Emergency Care Practitioners 317 |
END