Question NW3289 to the Minister of Health
14 October 2022 - NW3289
Hlengwa, Ms MD to ask the Minister of Health
(1)Whether his department has been informed of the situation that, despite the landmark victory and the Gauteng High Court Order with regard to foreign-qualified doctors, such interns remain unplaced and the Health Professions Council of South Africa refuses to register the foreign-qualified doctors without an offer of employment; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether his department has taken any measures to support the registration of foreign-qualified doctors in accordance with the Gauteng High Court Order; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
(1)-(2) According to the information received from the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), the HPCSA has adhered to all court orders relating to foreign qualified applicants including the discontinuation of the “Pathway” that required foreign qualified applicants to go through an additional 12-month period for clinical exposure before they could be registered as interns.
Sub-regulation 3(2)(c) of the Regulations relating to the registration and training of interns in medicine published under Government Notice R.57 in Government Gazette 25938 of 23 January 2004 states that: “A person referred to in sub regulation (1) [intern] shall submit his or her application to the board in terms of section 17 of the Act for registration as an intern in medicine on an application form supplied by the board and duly completed”, prior to being registered.
END.