The proposed protest march to the opening of Parliament on Friday by disgruntled doctors would be ”counterproductive” and could result in dismissals, the Ministry of Health said.
In a media statement on Wednesday, ministry spokesperson Harry Mchunu said: ”It is not a legitimate industrial action and failure to report for duty will result in normal disciplinary action being taken.”
He said that while dismissal could not be ruled out, the no-work-no-pay principle would probably be followed.
The ministry said it was ironic that the South African Medical Association (Sama) last week gladly accepted the government’s R500-million offer to provide incentives to attract and retain scarce skills in the public health sector, but this week were organising a march against the government’s inability to deal with the very issue.
Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang agreed last week to the idea that certain categories of health professionals in the public sector with scarce skills would receive allowances of 10% to 15% of their annual salary to entice them to remain in their positions.
On top of the scarce skill allowance, professionals in these categories working in rural areas would receive an added allowance from 8% to 22% of their annual salary, depending on area and occupational category.
”This means doctors working in a designated rural facility could receive both scarce skill and rural allowances, which would add up to between 33% and 37% of their current salaries. This would be back paid with effect from July 1 2003,” said Mchunu.
But Sama, supported by the Netcare hospital group and Netpartner Investments, said it was the government’s inability to communicate and discuss restructuring plans with doctors that was upsetting them.
Sama said it was for this very reason that ”well over 4 000 general practitioners, dentists and specialists had left the country over the past six years”, and warned that the looming stand-off between doctors and the government could force these figures to rise.
”We have expertise and experience to share with you [the government] that is imperative to the well-being of our patients,” said Dr Jack Shevel of Netpartner Investments.
He said this was the message South Africa’s doctors both in the private and public sector, would take to government when they marched.
But the Ministry of Health has urged Sama to reconsider their march, stating that it would be betraying the loyalty of their patients if it did not. — Sapa
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