Health Department investigates Dr Phophi Ramathuba over comments to a foreign patient

The National Health Department is probing a provincial MEC over comments made to a foreign national undergoing treatment at a Limpopo healthcare facility.

The department last night confirmed that Acting Minister of Health Angie Motshekga has called for all the necessary information to be gathered for a report to be presented to the Health Minister who is currently out of the country.

#DrPhophi trended on social media yesterday after Dr Phophi Ramathuba called for a Bela Bela hospital to charge the Zimbabwean woman for treatment before discharging her.

In the clip posted on Twitter, Ramathuba said it was only in South Africa where people come into the country and expect treatment.

Despite backlash on social media, Ramathuba stood by her statement and in an interview with SABC said it was her responsibility to ensure that the people in her province lived a long and healthy life.

“When people of Limpopo are waiting to be operated and they are not getting joy, they come to no one other than myself. And when there are challenges that I see that are affecting initiatives as a province, I will have to address those challenges. So yes, I will have to deal with anything that has to do with health issues in my province, for the sake of these people of Limpopo,” Ramathuba said.

The Health Department said while it did not have the full context of the video conversation between the MEC and the patient, which makes it difficult to make a conclusion, it acknowledges that the public healthcare system is struggling in some areas to meet the healthcare needs of the citizens and reduce the backlogs due to unpredictably high number of undocumented migrants from neighbouring countries seeking healthcare service in the country, other than the asylum-seekers and refugees.

“This issue is one of the subjects that are discussed during bilateral and multilateral meetings at SADC level in order to find a long-lasting solution.

“Limpopo province is one of the affected provinces, and despite these challenges, the healthcare workers must ensure that they maintain high moral obligation and standards in their work in line with the Hippocratic Oath, together with the National Health Act and the Refugee Act of South Africa.

“This does not mean that all services are free, because only primary healthcare services are provided free of charge, but higher levels of care are subject to a fee,” the department said.

-IOL

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