Our model is completely scalable and transferable, and will work in any developing nation. We were started in South Africa, but have expanded to Swaziland and Lesotho - sadly both of these operations were temporarily put on hold due to funding constraints. (Watch this space.) Additional funding would allow us to expand our scope and impact even further - throughout southern Africa.
Africa Health Placements is an organisation with a mission: to support and enhance healthcare systems in Africa, by finding, placing and retaining the right people for the job. Our aim is to fill the gaps left by the exodus of doctors from public service, and ultimately to help people to view the public sector in a new light - as truly viable and exciting career options. We do this by following a businesslike approach, focused on efficient service and effective marketing. We also strive to work with the people we recruit, every step of the way, to ensure that everything happens as smoothly and pleasantly as possible.
Brain drain has become endemic to the South African healthcare system, with as many as 50% of qualifying doctors
emigrating each year, whilst 75% of what remains opt for the private sector. About 35% of public health posts in
South Africa are vacant. Without a solid complement of qualified professionals on board, many of our facilities
remain overcrowded and underserviced. This puts extra pressure on the few staff members who are there, making public
service even less attractive as a career.
Our purpose is not only to fill the staffing gaps, but also to identify all the factors that contribute to this
cycle, so as to create a sustainable new reality for public health.
To this end, we do not simply recruit, place, orientate and work on retaining candidates, but also conduct strategic
monitoring and evaluation, from which we deliver much-needed advocacy and strategic consulting to our partners in
public health.
Recruiting healthcare professionals to work in the public sector is the primary focus of what we do. What makes
this a challenge is the diversity of requirements and legislation in different contexts, and matching this up to
the unique needs and situation of specific candidates, so as to find "the perfect fit" for every situation.
To this end, we work with a number of specific recruitment scenarios:
Professional, permanent placements: The most common option, for candidates seeking a long term placement at a particular
facility (these may be local or foreign appointments)
Placing temporary or locum health workers (of all cadres) into public sector and NGO posts.
The scope of our involvement includes:
Creating opportunities (through interaction with individual health system managers
Sourcing candidates for posts through creative marketing campaigns
Management and filtering of applications according to job specification and national legislation
Management of all administration legislated through government and regulatory body policy
Management of examination processes where relevant
Administration of final candidate placement and liaison with facility
Post placement orientation and ongoing support
AHP endeavours to offer world-class professional recruitment services, while at the same time
abiding by a strict ethical code of recruitment.