Netcare CEO Richard Friedland says there is renewed hope that the company will soon be able to expand its nurse-training capacity, a critical development amid South Africa’s severe nursing shortage. Although Netcare operates five training campuses offering a range of programmes, it is currently training only about 20% of the nurses it trained a decade ago. The slowdown stems largely from prolonged delays in obtaining accreditation from the Department of Health and the SA Nursing Council, which has limited trainee numbers citing quality-control concerns. A 2020 report by the Department of Health, the Hospital Association of SA and McKinsey warned that South Africa could face a shortfall of up to 166 000 nurses by 2030. Friedland previously noted that by 2022 Netcare was training just 10% of the 3 500 nurses it trained in 2016. He now reports a modest improvement, with the company training about 22% of its 2016 intake. – MedicalBrief (26 Nov 2025)