Johannesburg – The Health Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA) has exposed at least 124 fake medical doctors who have been arrested in South Africa in the last three years.
The HPCSA, which is responsible for controlling the education, training, and registration of health professionals, is cracking down on the culprits, who are endangering the lives of patients.
The growing number of fraudulent medical practitioners emerging in South Africa of late was a cause for concern.
“Over the past three years, 124 fake medical doctors have been arrested around the country as a result of a campaign led by the HPSCA and the police, with 55 of the apprehensions taking place during the past 24 months,” the council said.
The number of fake doctors exposed by the HPCSA points to a risk for gullible people.
Thebe Matlhaku, Senior Underwriter: Medical Malpractice at ITOO Special Risks said: “The emergence of the 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”.
Matlhaku added: “It is therefore encouraging that authorities are bringing these people to book, as they are playing with people’s lives and well-being.”
In several recent high-profile cases, HPCSA’s inspectorate office – created to ensure compliance with the Health Professions Act (Act 56 of 1974), Rules, and Regulations – acted against individuals pretending to be medical practitioners ranging from specialists to general practitioners.
Matlhaku said that the rising phenomenon of fake doctors is, in part, driven by the fact that many patients cannot afford expensive private healthcare and are thus preyed upon by bogus physicians offering their services at cheaper rates.
A recent case that garnered considerable media attention is that of a TikTok influencer who called himself Dr. Matthew Lani and regularly shared medical advice on the social media platform.
The fake doctor also claimed to be a graduate of Wits Medical School and an employee of Helen Joseph Hospital, in Johannesburg, gaining unfettered access to the facility.
“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,” Matlhaku said.
“The good news is that he is now facing criminal charges filed by the provincial health department and the intern whose identity he stole.”
He warned that, in addition to possible criminal charges, there are serious ramifications for individuals posing as medical practitioners, as Section 40 of the Health Professions Act imposes hefty penalties on a medical practitioner who is unregistered in respect of 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.
Matlhaku explains that patients have a right to request that a medical professional verify their credentials should they feel something is amiss, and any suspicious doctor should be reported to the HPCSA.
“There are some red flags that patients can look out for. For example, unregistered or fake doctors typically evade the system by working in cities, and in the private sector, where they are not easily detected.
“Often, they will either only accept cash payments or work in the practice of a registered doctor,” he says.
“These individuals must be exposed and prevented from practising before they do serious harm.
“Unfortunately, bogus doctors operate without the necessary qualifications, registrations, and ethical standards and can potentially cause very serious harm through misdiagnosis, inappropriate treatments, and unregulated procedures.”
Matlhaku said continued collaboration among law enforcement agencies, the HPCSA, and the public was needed to identify and arrest more people involved in these fraudulent practices to safeguard the welfare of South African communities.
