Wits University has defended a specialist training programme after a complaint from a trainee doctor, saying it meets national accreditation requirements but conceding that some administrative areas had been identified for improvement, reports the Sowetan.
This comes as the Health Professions Council of South Africa launches an investigation into the allegations by Dr Edward Sepirwa, who enrolled in 2021 through a bursary-funded programme, but has complained about irregularities in the implementation of the Occupational Medicine specialist training programme, including concerns about registrar registration and training processes.
Sepirwa was studying towards a Master’s of Medicine in Community Health qualification, registered under SAQA ID 9571, while specialising in Occupational Medicine.
He claims he was placed at the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) as a training site despite concerns over whether the required HPCSA approval processes had been completed.
According to Sepirwa, trainees raised concerns early in the programme but were allegedly told that the programme had always operated in that manner.
“There was confusion from the beginning. In our first year, we were never properly informed about the rules. We were simply placed into the workplace and expected to work,” he said.
Sepirwa further alleges that although trainees were referred to as “medical registrars” by Wits and NHLS, they were allegedly never formally registered as registrars with the HPCSA.
NHLS spokesperson said the allegations by Sepirwa were found to be baseless.
“The NHLS appointed an investigator to assess the matter, who gathered information through relevant key stakeholders and subsequently found the complaints to be baseless,” said Sabani.
But Sepirwa also claims that assessment processes and programme requirements were unclear.
“When we asked questions, management would not respond. We eventually ended up trying to design aspects of the programme ourselves,” he said.
HPCSA spokesperson Priscilla Sekhonyana confirmed the council had received a complaint from Sepirwa and that investigations were under way.
“The Wits University programme was approved for a period of five years. After approval, there was no inspection or investigation; however, the board is attending to the allegation, and if the programme is ultimately found not to meet registration requirements, the HPCSA may consider withdrawing accreditation.
“No new trainees would be enrolled until the programme is fully re-accredited and the university and the employing partner … support the trainees at the receiving institution in such a way as to not jeopardise that institution’s training programme or accreditation,” she added.
The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) said the qualification itself remains registered on the National Qualifications Framework and that students are still able to graduate.
SAQA chief operating officer Dr Makhapa Makhafola said the qualification is currently under review to ensure all specialisations linked to it are properly listed and compliant.
Makhafola added that qualifications linked to statutory councils, such as the HPCSA, require endorsement from those councils.
Sepirwa said the experience had severely affected his mental health and future career prospects.
“You dedicate your life to something. You sacrifice your mental health, your career and your future, only to discover there may have been systemic failures from the beginning.”
<Sowetan article – HPCSA probes Wits medical programme (Restricted access)
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