An ongoing crackdown by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) has led to the arrests of 124 unregistered doctors by the SAPS, according to Health Minister Joe Phaahla, who said the council had established an Inspectorate Office for this very purpose.
The unregistered doctors evade the system by joining the private sector where they can be paid in cash or operate in practices of registered doctors, he added.
Section 17 of the Health Professions Act (Act 56 of 1974) makes registration with the council a prerequisite to practise any health profession and it is a criminal offence to practice without this, reports IOL.
And in Polokwane last week, a Zimbabwean dental practitioner was arrested for practising without being registered.
He had been working – since September last year – at a medical facility owned by a registered medical practitioner when he was arrested for contravening the Health Professions Act, reports TimesLIVE.
The doctor who owns the practice will be reported to the complaints handling unit for unethical conduct for employing an unregistered person to practice as a locum, said the HPCSA.
TimesLIVE article – Unregistered Zimbabwean 'dentist' arrested in Polokwane (Open access)
IOL article – 124 fake doctors arrested (Open access)
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
HPCSA and SAPS crackdown on bogus medics
Unregistered Northern Cape doctors arrested by HPCSA and SAPS
3 bogus doctors arrested in registered practice