Staff Reporter
The South African opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Limpopo has taken a swipe at the Limpopo Provincial MEC for Health, Dr Phophi Ramathuba for her unprofessional conduct. This follows her recent uncharitable utterances to a Zimbabwean patient who was due for surgery at Bela-Bela Hospital.
Speaking through a statement, the EFF Convenor, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi and EFF Communications Manager, Titus Tshungu said that Dr Ramathuba must be removed from her position as the Limpopo Province Health MEC with immediate effect. They also recommended that her licence as a professional doctor be revoked.
“Her entire ill-informed and inhuman performance and address to a sick patient awaiting surgery is inconsistent with all universal standards of patient confidentiality and dignity. We call for the revocation of her licence as a professional doctor for undermining the code of ethics for medical doctors and trying to enforce a dompas system in Limpopo hospitals. The dompas system refers to an apartheid South African system where black people had to carry a pass with them to prove their identity and where they could live or work.
“Finally, we call for her immediate removal as MEC. Our country cannot be led, at any level, by anyone who will not respect the dignity of African people. The MEC is a direct danger to our humanity as a people and the basic requirements of a conduct of health professional. People go (to hospitals) to find life, not humiliation and death,” they said.
Relatedly, the South African Health Professional Forum (PHF) also issued a statement echoing the EFF position on Dr Ramathuba.
The PHF stressed that if Ramathuba does not resign or is not fired as MEC, it would be a reflection of the South African government’s tolerance of prejudice and acceptance of populism.
“The Limpopo Health MEC has brought the medical profession into disrepute and scandalized millions for whom national life is rooted in human rights. Both the Health Professions Council of South Africa and the South African Human Rights Commission must take an urgent and pointed interest in this matter.
“The MEC`s failure to resign or to be shown the door after this disgraceful conduct will mark the government`s tolerance of prejudice and its embrace of populism,” said PHF.
The PHF further highlighted that denying foreigners health care was unprofessional.
“The MEC`s reprehensible utterances are now filtering through to other facilities, where there are reports of undocumented foreigners being denied urgent care, which is unconstitutional and contradicts ethical norms. Unlike politicians, health professionals may not make a discriminatory distinction based on a person`s origin, circumstances or behavior,” said PHF.
Meanwhile, both the EFF and the PHF have described Ramathuba’s open rejection of patients from other African countries as informed by Afrophobia, a hatred of other African people.
