Minister Motsoaledi says austerity is a major contributor to the challenges faced by healthcare workers [SOUND]

# Minister of Health, Aaron Motsoaledi, says there is an urgent need to address longstanding weaknesses in the public healthcare system. This comes after the Health Ombud has found that the deaths of six healthcare workers at public health establishments in KwaZulu-Natal were not as a result of workplace bullying, victimisation, or adverse working conditions at hospitals under investigation. However, the investigation did identify significant systemic challenges affecting healthcare professionals. Motsoaledi says austerity is a major contributor to healthcare workers’ well‑being challenges: