South Africa's healthcare gets a boost as construction begins on new medical school

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Located at the North-West University, the medicine school is estimated to be complete by 2027.

The ceremony, held this week, was attended by the school's principal and vice chancellor Bismark Tyobeka, with the facility set to address South Africa's critical shortage of doctors.

Recent studies reveal that South Africa has just 0.31 doctors per 1,000 people—significantly below the World Health Organization’s recommended ratio of 2.5 per 1,000.

"This ceremony marks the symbolic start of construction and the laying of the cornerstone for a bold vision, one that aims to transform lives, uplift communities, and reshape the healthcare landscape of our nation,” said Tyobeka.

Equipping rural doctors

The NWU Desmond Tutu School of Medicine will be anchored in the core pillars of NWU – teaching, learning, research, and community engagement

It will leverage a network of provincial hospitals and clinics, with Klerksdorp/Tshepong Tertiary Hospital serving as a key clinical training site.

A distinctive feature of the new school is its emphasis on rural healthcare, as the curriculum is being specifically designed to prepare doctors for the complexities of practicing medicine in rural settings.

Students will receive early and regular exposure to primary healthcare and rural facilities, gaining intimate knowledge of community health and the challenges faced by patients in these areas.

The first set of students is expected to enrol in 2028.