Reactions to the Limpopo Health MEC Doctor Phophi Ramathuba‘s recent statement are continuing, with an advocacy network of health workers, the Progressive Health Forum, describing her conduct as unethical.
Ramathuba has defended the statement she made in a recent video that Zimbabweans are placing a strain on the province’s healthcare system.
Ramathuba was filmed confronting a foreign national scheduled for surgery at a hospital in the province. She is heard telling the patient that her country must take responsibility for her health issues.
The forum’s convenor Aslam Dasoo says there are grounds for charging Doctor Ramathuba with misconduct.
“The behaviour was highly unprofessional and that must be grounds for misconduct charges, in terms of her oath and in terms of the framework in which professionals operate. There was absolutely no reason to victimise a poor and vulnerable patient in an intimidating and arrogant way. It is completely out of keeping with the framework that health workers should always operate under. We don’t have the luxury of discriminating against anyone.”
Limpopo Health MEC Doctor Phophi Ramathuba stands by her statement made in a recent video:
Earlier the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) said Doctor Phophi Ramathuba had raised an important issue that government should urgently address.
The Limpopo DENOSA chairperson Lesiba Monyaki, however, says the MEC raised a serious issue to the wrong person.
“One would have thought the MEC would have raised that matter not specifically with the person. It is reality itself, but not with that patient directly. It is a systemic issue that politicians should address, maybe even on another platform but except to that patient and in front of other patients and other staff members. It’s more of a diplomatic issue.”
Limpopo Health Department addressing surgical backlogs:
