Gov't adopts shift policy for doctors
Larona Makhaiza | Wednesday July 2, 2025 15:21
For months now, the government has been embroiled with doctors over their allowances, which saw the disputes reach the courts. Addressing the nation yesterday on national TV, both Minister Stephen Modise and permanent secretary Oatlhokwa Nkomazana said the strategy would address the concerns of doctors.
“Currently, we have started to implement a shift for doctors at Sekgoma Memorial Hospital, where they started today, and it was successful as all doctors covered their shifts,” said Dr Nkomazana. PS Nkomazana said the use of the shift policy will relieve doctors of the heavy schedule that the latter are complaining about.
“We have managed to do a shift that covers the whole month, which gives doctors time and opportunity to rest and work, which is what they have been complaining about, that they work for long hours with no time for rest,” she said.
PS further said she hopes that the use of the shift strategy can help doctors and the government move on from their issues and look into solutions.
On the same view as PS, Minister Modise said this strategy will help address the complaints that doctors have been raising, which include no time for their families. “This is just a way to provide a solution for doctors to have time for rest with shift work so that they do not burn out, hence we have decided to pilot it,” Modise said.