Health Minister Joe Phaahla says they arrested 124 fake doctors across the country. File picture: Boxer Ngwenya
MINISTER of Health Joe Phaahla has confirmed that they have arrested 124 fake doctors following a crackdown by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
Phaahla said 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 said it was illegal to operate in the medical sector without obtaining the necessary approvals by the HPCSA.
He said the council had established an Inspectorate Office to ensure that they crack down on fake doctors.
The HPCSA has over the past few months raised concerns about some of the fake doctors operating in towns and cities.
Phaahla said the raids on the sites where these fake doctors work have helped to arrest some of them.
“Section 17 of the Health Professions Act (Act 56 of 1974) makes registration with the council a prerequisite to practise any health professions registrable in terms of the act and practising while not registered amounts to a criminal offence.
“According to the Health Professions Council of South Africa, 124 persons have been arrested for practising medicine without registration with the HPCSA,” said Phaahla, responding to a written parliamentary question from Vuyo Zungula of the ATM.
“Unregistered persons evade these systems by working in the private sector where they either only accept cash payments or work in the practice of a registered doctor.”