South African Medical Association (Sama) chairperson, Dr Angelique Coetzee, says doctors are now showing signs of emotional fatigue amid the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She says the Department of Health should give doctors compulsory leave when possible to allow them some time to rest.

Coetzee has expressed concern about young intern doctors being pressed into service against the coronavirus.

“Our country is extremely poor prepared for any pandemic. When I hear that they want to put interns in the frontline my heart goes out to these interns. Because they are the youngest and they are the lowest in the rank, what will happen to these young doctors? I have not seen that the department has trauma counselling, a compulsory trauma counselling [and] compulsory leave after you have done 6 weeks of very very hard work – just give them a break,” adds Coetzee.

Pressure continues to pile up on health workers in Gauteng hospitals: