A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Medicine in the branch of Bioethics and Health Law, Johannesburg, May 2012 / Doctors in the South African public services went on strike in mid-2007, 2009 and 2010. The main issue related to salaries. In my research report I will present arguments concerning the justifiability or not of strike action by South African doctors
Thus the laws, codes, and oaths subscribed to by medical practitioners in South Africa will be presented. Doctor's obligations stated in such declarations, and some ethical theories will be presented as they relate to the moral justifiability of doctor's strikes, and to the individual doctor-patient relationship. Arguably, the individual doctor-patient relationship is crucial for a flourishing population and social justice.
In the context of this relationship, the potential harms and benefits of strike action for both parties will be discussed. I will suggest that whether justified or not, strikes may not be the right means to achieving the end of excellent healthcare. The aim of the research, ultimately, is optimal health for the South African population with retention of doctors in the public service.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/13927 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Zeijlstra, Irene Elisabeth |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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