Issued by: Department of Health
27 September 2005
A South African delegation led by the Minister of Health Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang visited Tunisia this week (September 26-28) to further discussions around the recruitment of Tunisian health professionals to work in rural and under-served areas of South Africa.
The visit is a follow-up to an Agreement signed between the two countries last year to address human resources development for health, local production of generic products, reproductive health, communicable diseases and paediatric ophthalmology.
The meeting has strengthened the commitment of the two Ministers (Dr Tshabalala-Msimang and Minister of Health for the Republic of Tunisia, Dr Mohamed Ridha Kechrid) to work together to improve access to health care, by inter alia addressing the shortage of health professionals in the public health sector in South Africa.
According to a signed agreement on recruitment, the countries have committed themselves to the following.
The discussions also revolved around re-establishment of the ophthalmology programme. Tunisian ophthalmologist performed 1100 ophthalmology operations on South African citizens from 2000 to 2002. The ophthalmology cataract surgery programme has ceased to operate.
The Minister also met with Nadi Al Bassar, the non-profit organisation of ophthalmologists, and agreed to resuscitate the programme. The Department will endeavour to raise funds with other institutions or governments, and also determine whether funds for such a programme are available within our budget.
Minister Dr Mohamed Ridha Kechrid agreed to help South Africa by providing general practitioners to work within the programme. It was indicated during the meeting that about 500 general practitioners are willing to work in foreign countries under govt-to-govt agreement.
The SA Department of Health is finalising the requirements and conditions of employment. The Health Practitioners Council of South Africa (HPCSA) will assist to evaluate the qualifications, skills and competencies of health practitioners identified.
Contact: Charity Bhengu, Media Liaison Officer, (012) 312 0420 or 083 679 7424