SCORES of young people in KwaZulu-Natal have a wonderful opportunity to change their lives by studying in various fields of medicine, thanks to R200 million worth of bursaries that are being offered by the KZN Department of Health. The Department, under the leadership of Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo and Head of the Department Dr Sibongile Zungu, is offering bursaries in Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Oral Hygiene, Radiography (Diagnostic and Ultrasound), Medicine, Psychology (clinical), emergency Medical Care, Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics, Health Promotion, Optometry, Audiology, Psychiatry and Zoology. The issuing of these 120 bursaries bears further testimony to the Department’s commitment to bolstering its human resources in order to improve access to public healthcare. To date, the Department has issued more than 800 bursaries. Faced with skills shortages in some disciplines, the Department recognises the urgent need to identify, train and recruit personnel with the right skills set and commitment. This will help the Department to respond adequately to health challenges, as well as meet the staffing demands of the revolutionary National Health Insurance scheme. Applicants must: • Be from KZN and meet the training needs of the District where they reside. • Submit proof of application to a tertiary institution and CAO and his/her academic record from the university or Grade 11 with Bursary Application Form. • Applicants must be financially needy. Applications will be considered on a sliding scale in terms of income. All successful candidates will be required to sign a year-for-year work back agreement to serve in their respective district of birth/residence. Supportive certified identity documents of both parents; pay slips; death/divorce certificate and sworn affidavit must be attached stating the legal guardian or marital status of parents. Bursary application forms can be collected from the Human Resource Office at all Government hospitals, Clinics and CHC’s. Due to the anticipated volume of applications, only successful applications will be notified. Applicants must sign when receiving and returning the application form to the same institution where the form was obtained. No posted application will be considered. Applications should be delivered by hand. The closing date for applications is 31 August 2014. Dhlomo says all corners of our Province will be covered, saying: “With this approach we have been able to reach out to most needy and most rural areas with the hope that those students will come back to support such areas where our professionals generally choose not to go to.” For more information, please consult: Desmond Motha on 083 295 3901
Posted on: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 15:29:30 +0000