Massive recruitment of medical staff on the cards

OSHAKATI – Health and Social Services Minister Dr. Bernard Haufiku announced that the ministry would absorb the currently unemployed medical staff as part of the massive recruitment of about 1,000 vacant positions.

Haufiku announced yesterday in Oshakati permission to recruit at least 340 medical staff, by the beginning of next year at the latest.

In an interview with New Era, Haufiku pointed out that among the people to be recruited are nurses, doctors, pharmacists and radiographers.

But for hospitals like Okongo, Eenhana and Opuwo, the minister said recruitment would probably be done sooner, because there was a pressing need.

The 340 vacancies will cover the current vacancies within the ministry.
"For vacant positions, funding is already available," Haufiku said.
He added that filling positions would ease the burden of some of the critical items in the system.
He said the system was short of medical staff, such as doctors and pediatricians, leaving a pediatrician like that of Oshakati to solely occupy the pool of nearly one million patients.

In addition to the already funded vacancies, the ministry will create 600 additional special positions to ease the burden on the health sector.

Likewise, the minister also stressed the importance of recruiting 600 unemployed community health workers.
Haufiku at the opening of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to the community in Onakwamandi assured that the community health workers on whom the ministry was trying to employ them.

Haufiku stressed again that community health workers are important soldiers in the health sector.
"They are very important for empowering the community to be concerned about their health and preventing disease in their communities," Haufiku said.

The minister also called on hospitals that still maintain primary health care facilities in district hospitals to end these practices, stressing that primary health care should be community-based.

Nuusita Ashipala
2018-11-27 09:22:34 18 hours ago