News24.com. 26/01/2001 19:14 - (SA)
East London - Twenty-seven Cuban doctors will arrive in East London on
Saturday to serve the rural areas in the Eastern Cape, the provincial health
department said in a statement on Friday.
"These doctors will be joining other Cuban doctors who have been in the
province for a number of years. To date 84 doctors are in the province and are
deployed mostly in rural areas."
Twelve of the doctors will be deployed in district hospitals and the other
15 will become lecturers at the University of Transkei.
The Eastern Cape is experiencing a shortage of doctors, especially the rural
areas in the former Transkei, the statement said.
On a national level, there are six doctors for every 10 000 patients. In the
Eastern Cape, there is one doctor per 10 000 patients.
"In view of this situation the Eastern Cape department of health is
currently working on short-term and long-term strategies to deploy doctors in
these hospitals," the statement said. - Sapa | 