July unrest pushes healthcare workers to consider leaving South Africa: survey

More than 60% of healthcare professionals who took part in a recent survey say July's civil unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng prompted them to consider leaving South Africa to work in another country.

The survey of more than 500 people was conducted by the Medical Protection Society (MPS), which supports more than 30,000 healthcare professionals in SA. It delved into what kind of impact the unrest had on the healthcare fraternity.

Sixty-seven percent of respondents said their practice had reduced in some way during the unrest, with 6% saying they stopped practice altogether due to themselves or their staff being too scared or unable to get to the practice.

Half said they had lost income as a result of the unrest.

Seventeen percent considered leaving the profession after the unrest, while 61% said it had caused them to consider leaving SA to work in another country.

MPS said the survey results are a “stark reminder that during unsettling times, healthcare professionals require as much support as the patients they treat.”

Dr Graham Howarth, head of MPS medical services in Africa, said: “This survey was carried out following the immediate aftermath of the unrest, giving healthcare professionals time to reflect on the impact.

“While the challenges experienced certainly did not begin or end during the July unrest, the impact of this unsettling time on those who care for us cannot be overstated.

“Most communities were affected in some way and it is perhaps unsurprising that two-thirds of healthcare professionals said their practice had reduced in some way during the unrest.

“However, for healthcare professionals the unrest compounded existing stressors including the Covid-19 pandemic, high levels of abuse directed at doctors, and worsening mental wellbeing.

“Some survey respondents commented anecdotally that they had feared for their own lives and livelihoods during the unrest, others talked about the emotional distress of having to balance the needs of patients with the safety of their staff.”

Howarth said it was concerning that more than six out of 10 healthcare professionals said the unrest caused them to consider leaving South Africa and practise elsewhere, particularly at a time when doctors are needed more than ever.

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