South Africa: Hundreds of foreign-trained doctors shut out as Covid rages
By
Ray Mwareya,
Nyasha Bhobo
Reserved for subscribers
Posted on
July 28, 2021 13:46
In the grips of a third Covid-19 wave, along with soaring rates of the delta variant, South Africa needs all hands on deck. But many of those trained hands are blocked from working as doctors in the health sector due to a quota system that was meant to undo the wrongs of the past. Only now it’s creating a new wrong.
“Here’s the experience of our doctors: if they don’t have [a] 50,000 rand ($3500) bribe, they fail the South Africa medical board exam,” says D. Govender, the lawyer leading a class court action for hundreds of South African medical graduates who obtained qualifications abroad, but cannot work when they return home.
Pranav Singh, 27, a South African-born citizen of Indian ancestry, is distressed