The rising number of fraudulent medical practitioners in South Africa is cause for concern.
This has prompted the Health Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA) to crack down on these individuals who threaten patients’ lives.
Over the last three years, 124 imposters have been apprehended around the country as a consequence of a campaign spearheaded by the HPSCA and the police, with 55 of the arrests occurring in the last 24 months.
Senior underwriter: medical malpractice at ITOO Special Risks, Thebe Matlhaku, said that the emergence of a large number of unregistered or bogus doctors practising medicine in South Africa is alarming, and this type of conduct is putting the health of the public at risk.
“It is therefore encouraging that authorities are bringing these people to book, as they are playing with people’s lives and well-being,” added Matlhaku.
In numerous recent high-profile incidents, the HPCSA’s inspectorate has intervened against persons posing as medical practitioners, ranging from specialists to general practitioners, in order to maintain compliance with the Health Professions Act (Act 56 of 1974), Rules, and Regulations.
According to Matlhaku, the expanding epidemic of phoney doctors is fuelled in part by the fact that many consumers cannot afford expensive private healthcare and are consequently preyed upon by counterfeit physicians advertising lower-cost services.
A recent instance that received a lot of media attention was that of TikTok celebrity “Dr Matthew Lani” who routinely gave medical advice on the social media site.
He also claimed to be a graduate of Wits Medical School and an employee of Johannesburg's Helen Joseph Hospital, allowing him unrestricted access to the hospital.
“Not only did it emerge that he was a fake doctor, but he is also alleged to have assumed the identity of a second-year medical intern employed at a different hospital. The good news is that he is now facing criminal charges filed by the provincial health department and the intern whose identity he stole,” said Matlhaku.
He emphasised that, in addition to potential criminal charges, individuals posing as medical practitioners face serious consequences, as Section 40 of the Health Professions Act imposes severe penalties on a medical practitioner who is unregistered in any health profession but pretends to be so.
“The Health Professions Act, 1974 (Act No. 56 of 1974) Section 17 mandates registration with the council as a prerequisite for practising any health profession, and failing to register and practising without authorisation constitutes a criminal offence,” said Matlhaku.
“We strongly advise the public to remain vigilant, and if you are not certain about a particular medical professional, verify their credentials on the HPCSA’s website. Alternatively, there are also other bodies in South Africa that can verify a medical practitioner’s credentials, such as the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa and the South African Nursing Council.”
IOL