Working as a FP in South Africa

South Africa is leading in the built up of a good primary care system.
They welcome FP/GPs. Look first on AHP (African Helath Placements)

You want to read about a successful example set by FP Marga Vintges on a FM-approach of anHIV-program? Click for the article in the Volkskrant in Dutch.

Job news around Joburg
This is an email I got from Dr Shabir Moosa, Family Medicine & Primary Health Care, District Family Physician Johannesburg
Senior Clinical Lecturer, Wits University, Gauteng, South Africa

It’s been a rollercoaster in the last three months and I can’t help sharing my juvenile excitement about development of primary health care in Joburg!  With lots of work recruiting doctors Family Medicine has grown the real doctor population in Joburg from ±40 to 120+ in 2 yrs. It’s been a major boon to clinical leadership, strengthening Community Health Centres (CHCs) as medical referral centres (incl. emergency-procedural services) and expanding doctor outreach visits to clinics.  There are many parts of Joburg that still need Family Physicians and Medical Officers.  

MORE: There is a plan to expand HIV treatment sites and strengthen medical services as extensions of the Department of Family Medicine & PHC in areas underserviced by doctors eg Midrand or Orange Farm. There are many HAST Posts available NOW!
A really exciting project is being piloted in Mofolo, Soweto around Family Medicine Registrars, building family practices with strong community-orientation. We are ‘registering’ a small practice population … to make a major contribution to the National Health Insurance (NHI) debate. Interested in a 1-2 yr Pepfar Fellowship to help these develop? 

  • The Wits Clinical Associate (CA) (±Physician Assistant / Clinical Officer / Mid Level Doctor Assistant) programme, currently wholly based in Joburg DFM, is growing. There are posts available.
  • General Practitioners (GPs) are part of the District Health Service and Dept of Family Medicine & PHC (DFM) in Johburg! We will also be slowly visiting / meeting GPs (starting with Soweto) to strengthen relations and encourage GPs to be part of the team. Sessions are also available. 
    Check on details HERE.

    Whilst we have 120+ doctors it is hardly sufficient – there should be 40 more with vacancies. Even moreso the National Department norms of 1 to 10 000 patients suggest we should have 300 doctors to serve the 3.0m uninsured people and their 6m visits in clinics / CHCs (excluding the District Hospitals!). So you can imagine! There are a lot MORE JOBS possible for doctors in the District Health Services of the City of Johannesburg.  Have a look HERE for ALL JOB DETAILS and follow the process of application. The next interview date is 2nd Feb 2010 at Wits Medical School. Closing date for this interview is 25th Jan 2010. Keep sending applications as closing dates will generally be at the end of every month with interviews in the 1st 2 weeks of the next month.   There are also other posts incl. Palliative Care in Soweto and Medicines Sans Frontiers (MSF) doctors in Southern Africa. Help us grow – pass this on to any friend/s who might be interested.

    Check eDistrictNews regularly: