The effectiveness of contracting bursary students to the Department of Health (KwaZulu-Natal) as a specialist skills retention strategy

Abstract

Imbalance in the health workforce is a major challenge for health policy-makers, since human resources are the most important of the health systems input (Sanders & Lloyd) Several developed nations are increasingly relying on immigration as a means of coping with domestic shortages of health care professionals (Vujicic et al. 2004). The extent of migration and other losses of professional skills are difficult to quantify. However, the effects of these are multifaceted and have far reaching consequences for both the economy and the maintenance of health services in the country. The effects of this “brain drain” limit service delivery and limit the general population’s access to health services. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of contracting bursary students to the Department of Health (KwaZulu-Natal) as a specialist skills retention strategy.