Doctors

In South Africa, migration of medical doctors has both internal and external dimensions. Doctors are trained in public-service hospitals and serve one year's community service in rural or in hospitable locations after qualifying, but few remain there. Most migrate to private sector and many others leave the country. Here the rural public is dependent on foreign doctors. It is against this background that the profession of the medical practitioner in South Africa should be viewed. Do we have enough doctors? Where are they needed most and where are they working? What is the extent of emigration? What is the government doing to help and what more can be done?