By Staff Writer
The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) has urged the public to report bogus and unregistered healthcare practitioners as such individuals do not only undermine the integrity of the healthcare system but also pose a significant risk to the wellbeing of the public with their uninformed diagnosis on various health issues.
This comes as the GDoH nabbed yet another individual impersonating a medical doctor at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH) on Sunday night (25 February) after they demanded that an escort to a patient pay R700 for the 'Dr' to assist the patient.
The patient became suspicious when the bogus doctor who was wearing green scrubs with the name Dr Zulu imprinted on the uniform, advised her to meet at the pedestrian gate where the said payment was to be made. The escort notified the security personnel who eventually apprehended the bogus doctor at the hospital's pedestrian gate.
GDoH Head of Communication, Motalatale Modiba said that when the security and facility management asked the bogus doctor to produce her Health Professional Council of South Africa (HPCSA) registration number and her persal number she was unable to do so.
"Chris Hani Bara has since opened a case at Diepkloof police station. The bogus doctor spent a night in custody and appeared before the Orlando Magistrate's Court during the week. 
"We wish to urge public to be vigilant by not falling for such scams. The healthcare workers in our facilities will never ask members of the public to pay them directly. If there are any fees payable in the hospital in line with the Uniform Patient Fee Schedule, this will be done at patient administration and an invoice will be issued to indicate exactly what the patient is paying for," said Modiba. 
Members of the public or patients can report any suspicious behaviour or individual to security at their attending hospital or clinic, or through the HPCSA website on www.hpcsa.co.za or email on Inspectorateoffice@hpcsa.co.za  for its Inspectorate Office to investigate. Alternatively, they can verify a practitioner's status by calling the HPCSA Call Centre on 012 338 9300/1.