The Department of Health and Social Development in the province has conceded that it has a serious shortage of doctors.

The departmental spokesperson, Mr Phuti Seloba, says: "It is true that we have as serious shortage of doctors in the province." Seloba’s confession comes after a series of complaints from patients and community members who claim that they spend several days before they see a doctor at Zebediela hospital, near Lebowakgomo.

Some of the patients say elderly patients collapse in the queue while waiting to be attended by a doctor at the hospital.

At Tshilidzini hospital, near Thohoyandou, patients say it takes days before they are attended by a doctor in the wards.

Seloba says: "It is true that we have a serious shortage of doctors all over the province. At Zebediela, there was also as managerial problems as there was no chief executive officer, since the hospital was operating as a health centre before."

Seloba revealed that there are only three doctors for about 300 patients who visit Zebediela hospital every day, saying there are only 500 doctors in the province instead of the 6 000 doctors needed to provide a proper service to the people. However, Seloba says there are plans afoot to address the problem like the awarding of bursaries to student doctors and the opening of two more nursing schools in the province next year.

Right now there are more than 900 student doctors who benefited from this bursary that started in 1995 and two more nursing colleges are going to be opened early next year in Waterberg and Sekhukhune.

This will bring the number of nursing colleges available in the province to five, as there are three colleges now at Shayandina, Giyani and Mankweng.

Two months ago, the department received 11 Iranian doctors who were deployed in the province. Seloba says more doctors from outside will come in order to help in the province.