Staff Reporter.
The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) confirmed that the fake doctor at the Tembisa Provincial Hospital has been arrested and spent the night in custody.
The department said the matter is under investigation by the hospital facility management and police to establish how the bogus doctor gained access to the hospital.
The facility’s management opened a case at a local police station and the suspect was expected to appear before court soon.
“Unqualified individuals posing as medical professionals put innocent lives at risk. It is a criminal offence for any person to impersonate healthcare professionals and to practice while not registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa,” said GDoH spokesperson Motalatale Modiba.
“The department is continuously strengthening measures at facilities to safeguard the wellbeing of patients and staff,” Modiba said.
“Our employees and the public are urged to be vigilant against imposters who seek to undermine the work of healthcare professionals.”
In February, another woman posing as a doctor was arrested at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital after she was caught trying to solicit a bribe from a patient.
The department said she was nabbed after she demanded that an escort to a patient pay R700 to assist the patient.
The escort notified the hospital security personnel, who nabbed the bogus doctor at the hospital’s pedestrian gate.
Meanwhile, late last year, Abdulkader Elyas and Matthew Lani were exposed for claiming to be qualified doctors in the Western Cape and Joburg, respectively.