Analysis of the Shortage of Nurses in Limpopo Province, South Africa: A Case of Lebowakgomo Clinic

Abstract

The shortage of healthcare workers across the globe is not a new phenomenon. Several debates have highlighted the significance of providing adequate health services, including sufficient healthcare workers to serve the populace, especially the less privileged. Severe shortages of healthcare workers have hampered countries from achieving Sustainable Development Goals such as goal three, which is: “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.” This paper, drawn from current research, used an archival design (Ventresca and Mohr 2002) that focuses on secondary data analysis. The findings project that healthcare workers are experiencing a higher workload because of a shortage of human resources, psychological distress, lack of incentives, and poor management. As a result, the majority of healthcare workers are migrating due to push and pull factors. The country must develop retention strategies that include incentives such as rural allowances and continuous capacity-building programmes for the health sectors.