Pretoria - The South African Medical Association (SAMA) has urged the public to verify their doctor's registration with the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) prior to consultation.
The call follows an increasing number of bogus doctors ranging from paediatricians and neurologists, who are performing backstreet abortions.
SAMA Chairman Dr Norman Mabasa has sent a strong warning against these bogus doctors and called on members of the public to contact HPCSA, which has a national register of all registered medical practitioners in the country, when in doubt.
"We call on members of the community to be vigilant about bogus doctors claiming to be trained medical practitioners, providing medical treatment to the unsuspecting public and in some cases embarking upon activities that bring the name of the medical profession into disrepute, for example with sexual assault cases.
"These so-called doctors often advertise their services by way of leaflets and via advertisements on street corners, offering very attractive medical solutions to all types of ailments," Dr Mabasa said.
He urged the public to report the suspects to the South African Police Services, in the event that a doctor is not registered with the HPCSA.
According to the HPCSA, the easiest way to check whether a medical practitioner is registered with the HPCSA is to ask for their annual practising card and to check that the card has been renewed for 2009/10.
The HPCSA can be contacted at (012) 338-9301 or www.hpcsa.co.za
