Deputy Speaker, the ANC welcomes the move by the KwaZulu-Natal department of health to fill all vacant posts in the province. A total of 5 122 health personnel have been appointed from 1 January to date. The ANC believes this will help to improve service delivery in KwaZulu-Natal and provide better quality care to patients and the users of health care services.
The vacancies include 1 566 scarce skills category posts and 3 556 other personnel, which includes 2 567 community caregivers, 363 interns, 330 medical officers and 269 bursary holders. However, as part of the bulk recruitment strategy, 759 nursing assistants and 226 staff nurses were appointed to all districts between January and February 2011.
This action is in line with the ANC election manifesto, to improve the standards of both the public and the private sectors, which includes specific targets for the provision of an adequate number of workers of all levels for the health care services, including recruitment, training and filling of posts. Thank you.