Latest news with #HPCSA
News24
2 days ago
- Health
- News24
The Lead: Wouter Basson vs HPCSA round two, with Tammy Petersen
The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) continues in 2025 to push for some form of historical accountability from 'Dr Death' Wouter Basson's involvement in the apartheid government's secret chemical and biological warfare programme, 'Project Coast'. But as News24's Cape Town journalist Tammy Petersen reports in this edition of The Lead, the Durbanville-based cardiologist has, at the age of 74, turned to the High Court to get the HPCSA off his back once and for all: 'Dr Basson argues in his court papers that this new bid by the HPCSA is nothing but persecution,' says Petersen. Later in the show, we learn that a former Transnet official is wanted by the police for the mistaken hit on a Vereeniging engineer whose company blew the whistle on procurement corruption. Finally, attorneys for disgraced R&B singer R Kelly claim he's in danger behind bars and argue that he should be put under house arrest. Listen on YouTube: Listen on Apple Podcasts:
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Health
- The Citizen
Government slammed for not employing health inspectors as food poisoning incidents rise
Unemployed health inspectors say lives are at risk due to government inaction. With South Africa facing a looming food safety crisis – with increasing incidents of food poisoning – the government continues to 'ignore' that there are not enough environmental health inspectors, unemployed practitioners say. This follows allegations that the government has failed to keep its promise after announcing last year it had set aside R205 million to employ 520 health inspectors to address the rampant outbreak of foodborne cases that had led to the deaths of 22 children and hundreds being hospitalised. The announcement came after the food poisoning outbreak was declared a national disaster. Environmental health inspectors are employed by the department of health and deployed in different municipalities. Their job is to protect the public against foodborne diseases. Qualified but unemployed A 30-year-old unemployed environmental health inspector, who wished to remain anonymous fearing reprisal, said she completed an environmental health practitioner degree at Mangosuthu University of Technology several years ago, but has not got a job. 'After completing my studies, I joined a group of graduates doing community service training for a year. But after that we did not get jobs. I am frustrated because we all see that our services are needed but the government does not want to employ us. 'Looking at the rising number of foodborne poisoning cases tells you that something is wrong and there is a need to employ health inspectors. Our job is to make sure that businesses and other entities comply with public health laws to prevent the spread of diseases and ensure that the public is safe. 'First line of defence' 'We are the first line of defence when it comes to making sure that residents are safe from foodborne and related problems. Now, the government has said the spaza shops and other small businesses should be regulated but with the low number of health inspectors, how are they going to do that?' She said the deaths of children due to food poisoning and the rising number of cases could have been avoided if there were enough health inspectors. NOW READ: Manufacturer agrees to R500 000 fine for supplying contaminated peanut butter Unused skills and suspended practitioners Another unemployed practitioner, a 28-year-old who has an environmental health practitioner's BSc from Tshwane University of Technology, said it was painful to know that he had skills that could save lives but he was unemployed. He said he was one of the practitioners who could not pay his accreditation fee to the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). 'I know of some people who owe the HPCSA more than R15 000 each and they were suspended, meaning they are no longer allowed to work as health practitioners until they pay to regain their membership,' he said. Recently, environmental health graduates from different provinces staged a march and demonstrated at the head offices of the department of health and the department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, demanding that they be employed. Speaking on behalf of the unemployed graduates, Zandi Dlamini said it's been some time since they submitted the memorandum but there has still been no response. Consumers left vulnerable Dlamini accused the government of contravening the National Health Act, Section 24 of the constitution of South Africa and the standards of the World Health Organisation. 'This leaves consumers vulnerable to foodborne disease outbreaks, as well as other environmental health issues threatening public health,' said Dlamini. 'About 3 000 cases of food poisoning illnesses were reported to the notifiable medical conditions system. According to the South African Local Government Association, only 1 651 practitioners are employed out of 6 300. 'The country has 4 116 inspectors registered with the HPCSA and ready to serve.' Department of health spokesperson Foster Mohale did not respond to questions sent to him. NOW READ: Mpumalanga primary school pupils treated for food poisoning after eating oranges
IOL News
23-04-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Bogus doctor arrested for illegally practising in Chatsworth
A BOGUS doctor who operated as a general practitioner (GP) from the surgery of the late Dr Govindaraj Muruvan, in Havenside Drive, in Chatsworth, treating hundreds of patients over the last three years, was arrested during a sting operation, last week. Ashley Ramsarup, 51, of Bellair, was arrested last Thursday and appeared in the Chatsworth Magistrate's Court on Tuesday on charges of illegally practising medicine. It is alleged that Ramsurap had issued a medical certificate under the name of Dr Muruvan to the investigator from the Health Professions Council of South Africa, who posed as a patient during their investigation. He was granted R2 000 bail at the Bayview SAPS after his arrest. The matter was adjourned to next month for further investigation. Provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, said Bayview police arrested Ramsarup for allegedly contravening the Health Profession Act of 1974. 'He was found to be practising as a health practitioner without proper documentation, in Havenside,' he said. Ramsarup's arrest was part of an ongoing crackdown on unregistered medical practitioners by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). HPCSA inspectorate officials uncovered unlawful medical activities at the medical centre, where Ramsarup was found practising without registration, the council said in a statement. 'He was arrested on site and faces charges of fraud and contravening sections 17, 39, and 40 of the Health Professions Act, 56 of 1974.' A police source said Ramsarup was arrested after an investigating officer from the HPCSA contacted them following a preliminary investigation. 'The information they received was that an unregistered doctor was practicing at the premises of the late Dr Muruvan. The bogus doctor's wife was also alleged to have worked as a nurse at the same practice. When the HPCSA officer entered the premises with the police, the man identified himself as a doctor and he claimed he was registered with the council. The official found records of a two-year-old child who had been treated by the bogus doctor earlier that day,' the source said. Rajesh Balram, chairperson of the Havenside Community Policing Forum, said the man had practiced at the Havenside surgery since 2022 and hundreds of unsuspecting people had been treated by him over the years. Rocky Naidoo, chairperson of the Havenside Civic Association, said it was of concern that a bogus doctor had been operating undetected for so many years. 'The so-called doctor was practicing at the surgery of a respected general practitioner who is now deceased. Therefore his misconduct went unnoticed. It begs the question of poor compliance on the part of the health department. The said bogus person was treating people undetected. In fact, at the time of arrest, he had just treated a small child. "We urge our communities to be vigilant and always verify doctors who are treating them. The man was issuing medical certificates and the group of doctors whose practice numbers were used by this man needs to be investigated,' he said. A community leader from Bayview, who did not want to be named, said he had consulted with the bogus doctor soon after he had taken over Dr Muruvan's practice. 'I was not aware that he was not a registered doctor, especially since he was practising out of the rooms of a previous doctor who the community trusted. 'When I was sick recently, I went to him and he gave me an injection and medication. I visited him often and started to establish a positive relationship with him. He was very caring towards patients. 'But I feel like I was let down and I put my health at risk, because I do not know if whatever he was telling me or prescribing to me was right. I'm still a bit confused after hearing news that he was a bogus doctor. Honestly, I was feeling better after my visit to his surgery,' the community leader said. Ishwar Naidoo, a resident of Havenside, who visited the doctor on three occasions last year, said the doctor was 'polite, intelligent, and clued up with health issues'. He said the doctor told him that he had worked as a medical practitioner in the South African Army. 'The doctor seemed to have vast knowledge in the medical field and he treated us well. He was caring and always offered us advice. I was shocked to hear that he was not registered. He was helpful to the community and offered discounted rates to pensioners and those who could not afford the normal rates. 'This baffles me, but I guess if someone wants to dupe you into believing that they are legitimate, and gain support, they would go the extra mile to keep their clients,' he said. The HPCSA appeals to the public to verify the credentials of healthcare practitioners by using the 'Search the Register' function on report suspected illegal practices email: InspectorateOffice@ THE POST
