This follows various engagements with the Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana as the government is still trying to get funds to employ the doctors.

“Deployment of appropriate human resources is key to both access and quality and this applies to multiple qualifications and skills within the healthcare teams, I am therefore pleased to announce that working with the finance minister we have a solution to address the problem of doctors wanting to work in the public service but not being offered funded posts," Phaahla said.

Phaahla also said the details of how the posts are going to be funded will be outlined by Godongwana when he delivers the budget speech next Wednesday.

In this regard, I want to say hard luck to those who were wishing to use this as political football in the election campaign thinking that there’s a discourse because of the national health insurance and that we won't be able to employ doctors," Phaahla added.

The Minister further alluded that they are committed to work with the medical association Sama and the trade union Samatu to look at more opportunities for doctors, including in multidisciplinary group practices offering primary health services in the community as they prepare for implementation of NHI, which will contract such services.