PONE-D-21-07013

Trends in the nephrologist workforce in South Africa (2002–2017) and forecasting for 2030

PLOS ONE

Dear Prof Mogamat Razeen Davids

Thank you for submitting your manuscript to PLOS ONE. After careful consideration, we feel that it has merit but two concerns raised by the reviewers need to be addressed before the paper can be considered for publication. Therefore, we invite you to submit a revised version of the manuscript that addresses the points raised during the review process.

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Rajendra Bhimma, PhD

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

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Additional Editor Comments:

Please see comments by reviewers.

Reviewer 1

Suggestion: Include statistics from sub-Saharan Africa on the projected increase in the prevalence of chronic kidney disease over the next decade as well as the main causes of chronic kidney disease in the region.

Reviewer 2

Do the authors feel that Nephrologists should also be 'induced' to work in areas currently understaffed, with specific 'inducement allowances' to attract them to those areas?

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Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: I Don't Know

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3. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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4. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

PLOS ONE does not copyedit accepted manuscripts, so the language in submitted articles must be clear, correct, and unambiguous. Any typographical or grammatical errors should be corrected at revision, so please note any specific errors here.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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5. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: Abstract and introduction:

Both were clear with well defined aims of the study. The main research question was distinct. Appropriate use of supporting literature to relate to main research question.

Suggestion: Include statistics from sub-Saharan Africa on the projected increase in the prevalence of chronic kidney disease over the next decade as well as the main causes of chronic kidney disease in the region.

Method:

Would be reproducible. It is concisely written.

Figures and tables are concise and accurate and correctly presented. Appropriate to answer the research question and conforms to ethical guidelines. Enough data was obtained to draw conclusions. Limitations mentioned were appropriate.

Results were correlated with the tables and figures and support conclusions. Statistical analysis was acceptable. Results provided can be reproduced.

Discussion highlighted critical points relevant to the study.

Conclusions:

Answered what the authors had put forward in the introduction.

Overall the writing quality and clarity was suitable.

Reviewer #2: Beautiful paper highlighting very important workforce data present & projected in South Africa. Do the authors feel that Nephrologists should also be 'induced' to work in areas currently understaffed, with specific 'inducement allowances' to attract them to those areas?

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6. PLOS authors have the option to publish the peer review history of their article (what does this mean?). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

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Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: No

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Trends in the nephrologist workforce in South Africa (2002–2017) and forecasting for 2030

PONE-D-21-07013R1

Dear Dr. Davids,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

Within one week, you’ll receive an e-mail detailing the required amendments. When these have been addressed, you’ll receive a formal acceptance letter and your manuscript will be scheduled for publication.

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Kind regards,

Rajendra Bhimma, PhD

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Additional Editor Comments (optional):

Dear Prof R Davids

Thank you for the submission of your manuscript to PLOS ONE. I have been through all the responses and I am satisfied that these have been adequately addressed. The manuscript has been forwarded to the Editor-in-Chief for a final decision.

Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. If the authors have adequately addressed your comments raised in a previous round of review and you feel that this manuscript is now acceptable for publication, you may indicate that here to bypass the “Comments to the Author” section, enter your conflict of interest statement in the “Confidential to Editor” section, and submit your "Accept" recommendation.

Reviewer #1: All comments have been addressed

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2. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #1: Yes

**********

3. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

**********

4. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.

Reviewer #1: Yes

**********

5. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

PLOS ONE does not copyedit accepted manuscripts, so the language in submitted articles must be clear, correct, and unambiguous. Any typographical or grammatical errors should be corrected at revision, so please note any specific errors here.

Reviewer #1: Yes

**********

6. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: Minor revisions have been adequately addressed. The requested review concerning the anticipated increase in patients with CKD and main causes have been mentioned in the revision.

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7. PLOS authors have the option to publish the peer review history of their article (what does this mean?). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

If you choose “no”, your identity will remain anonymous but your review may still be made public.

Do you want your identity to be public for this peer review? For information about this choice, including consent withdrawal, please see our Privacy Policy.

Reviewer #1: No