Health Department Funds Medical Scholarship Programme

The Nelson Mandela Fidel Castro Medical Collaboration Programme offers 80 preparatory-level and 80 medical-studies scholarships to address health workforce shortages.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Scholarships

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of an open doorway at the end of a warm glowing stepping-stone path rising toward a sunlit horizon. — South Africa's Department of Health is keeping funding for a programme offering 80 preparatory and 80 medical-studies scholarships to ease rural health workforce shortages. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The South African Department of Health is maintaining funding for the Nelson Mandela Fidel Castro Medical Collaboration Programme, which provides 80 scholarships at preparatory level and 80 scholarships for medical studies. The programme was initiated to address shortages of health professional capacity, particularly in remote rural communities.

Why it matters

The programme aims to shift the health system from curative care towards Primary Health Care, which emphasises disease prevention and health promotion. It is aligned with South Africa's Primary Health Care strategy and supports the broader goal of advancing healthcare equity.

The programme funds 80 preparatory-level scholarships and 80 medical-studies scholarships. The source does not give the programme budget or the number of graduates to date.

The players

South African Department of Health

The national government department responsible for public health policy and services in South Africa, which runs the programme.

The details

The programme was set up as a Department of Health strategy to tackle shortages of health professionals, especially in remote rural communities. It supports a move away from curative health care towards Primary Health Care, aligned with the national strategy's focus on prevention and health promotion.

Health Landscape

The programme is aligned with South Africa's Primary Health Care strategy, which emphasises disease prevention and health promotion. Its funding supports a shift from hospital-centred curative care towards community-based clinic networks, a shift the source links to National Health Insurance.

Students interested in the 80 preparatory-level and 80 medical-studies scholarships will need to follow the programme's application process. The source does not state application deadlines or eligibility criteria.

The takeaway

Health workforce shortages are being addressed through targeted scholarships aligned with a national shift toward prevention. Readers interested in health careers should watch for application details from the Department of Health.