Question NW2528 to the Minister of Health
22 September 2023 - NW2528
Zungula, Mr V to ask the Minister of Health
(1)Whether his department (a) does a thorough investigation and (b) has investigators who work on a daily basis to ensure that there are no unregistered doctors who are practicing in any communities across the Republic as the Health Professionals Act, Act 56 of 1974, stipulates that no person may practice in any health profession unless he or she is registered to do so with the Health Professions Council of South Africa; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) what measures has his department put in place to prevent and ensure that no doctor practices without being registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA); (3) what number of bogus doctors has his department found to have been practicing without being registered at the HPCSA from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023?
Reply:
1. (a) Inspections are conducted by Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) to identify unregistered persons posing as practitioners.
(b) Some of the inspectors within the HPCSA’s Inspectorate Unit are based in the provinces to conduct compliance inspections and identify unregistered persons posing as practitioners.
(2) The Department through the HPCSA took a proactive approach to establish the Inspectorate Unit that works with the South African Police Services, the National Prosecuting Authority, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, the Office of Health Standards Compliance, the South Africa Pharmacy Council, the South African Nursing Council, the Board of Health Care Funders and other authorities to ensure that persons practising any health professions whilst not registered are brought to book.
The HPCSA has conducted 2727 inspections in collaboration with the stakeholders mentioned above during the period April 2022 until March 2023. The awareness campaigns are held to educate members of the public on how to identify and report unregistered persons practicing illegally. It is equally important to note that the Constitution places the mandate to investigate and prevent crime under the portfolio of the Minister of Safety and Security. Furthermore, the Constitution places the mandate to prosecute persons charged with criminal offences under the portfolio of the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services.
(3) There were 33 unregistered bogus doctors who were posing as registered practitioners identified by the HPCSA for the period, 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023..
END.