24 May 2005, Johannesburg International Airport
Introduction:
As you all know, I am leaving for Taipei in Taiwan to address the ICN on a number of issues including the cross cutting challenges facing South Africa.
These challenges include the international migration and recruitment of health professionals.
The theme of the congress is: "Nurses for Patient Care."
Despite the achievements we have made as a country in health care, human resources remains a major health system challenge and the migration of skilled nurses to overseas countries has added a strain.
The international migration and recruitment of our personnel undermines the main investment that most African countries have made in improving their health services and further weakens the health systems.
And despite a number of recruitment and retention strategies being put in place, we still need to execute the necessary actions aimed at addressing this matter in the face of many global and disease burden challenges.
During the World Health Assembly in Geneva last week, African Ministers of Health spoke passionately about the continued migration and recruitment of health personnel from developing to developed countries.
They supported the resolution draft by South Africa, which called upon the Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure that the previous decision of the World Health Assembly aimed addressing this matter is fully implemented.
This includes strengthening of the Human Resources for Health division in the WHO by allocating adequate financial resources to enable the division to effectively execute the necessary actions aimed at addressing this matter.
We need to ensure that this free movement of professional health workers does not undercut our national plan to improve human resource supply and distribution. This is a critical element of our endeavour to strengthen our health system and provide quality health services.
Various interventions are being made to address particularly the supply and distribution of health personnel in our country to mitigate the impact of outwards migration of health skills.
Nurses Allowances:
National Health Council (which includes the Minister and MECs for Health) discussed the issue of the uniform allowances for nurses. NHC agreed that the current allowance is not adequate and there was a need to address this matter within the broader efforts of the Department of Health to improve working conditions for health professionals in the public health sector.
Uniform allowance:
NHC agreed that the current uniform allowance should be increased and this matter will be discussed with the unions in the bargaining chamber. The Department will also discuss with the unions about setting minimum standards for dress codes within the profession including the introduction of one colour and design for nurse's uniform in the country.
Salaries:
Government is trying to deal with the issue of salaries for health professionals. Clearly, we will never reach a level when our salaries can be at the same level as developed countries taking into consideration the issues of exchange rates and so on.
Part of this is the introduction of scarce skills and rural allowances, which are paid in addition to current basic salaries.
We hope this should assist us in attracting and retaining professionals in the public health sector in general and in rural and other underserved areas in particular.
Migration:
As a country, we have entered into bilateral agreement with Britain on the recruitment of health professionals. The arrangement is to allow health professionals from South Africa to work in Britain for a specified period and return back to South Africa. This should give them experience in working in developed setting. We have opened space for British professionals to come to South Africa as well to work particularly in rural areas. This should give them exposure to health challenges facing developing countries.
This is informed by the fact that, a survey conducted in several countries including South Africa indicated that most professionals migrate because they need some international exposure. So this arrangement accommodates that.