Doctor suspended on qualifications query

A DOCTOR from a prominent Pietermaritzburg family, whose qualifications recently came under scrutiny, has been suspended by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).

Reshal Dayanand, 29, who had been practising at Northdale Hospital, allegedly forged his degree certificate from the University of Kwazulu-natal. The university had no record of him completing his MBCHB degree. He was admitted to the programme in 2007.

Mischelle Julius, of the HPCSA Inspectorate office, said Dayanand was placed on suspension last week after it was established his documents were not valid.

Dayanand’s case was first highlighted after a KPMG report into fraud and corruption allegations at UKZN. The report claimed Dayanand was admitted to the medical school in 2007 by then dean, Professor Willem Sturm, utilising his “dean’s discretion”, and said he still had an outstanding course to complete.

Dayanand was believed to have been transferred from the Transkei Medical University to UKZN. He was excluded from UKZN in 2014, but re-admitted in 2015. Despite providing his degree certificate stamped at UKZN PMB, as well as a detailed statement of results, UKZN had no knowledge of the qualification being issued. His degree certificate stated that he graduated in April 2016.

“We will continue to investigate and see if any further action needs to be taken,” said Julius. Dayanand’s family own the Daymed Hospital in Pietermaritzburg.

Dayanand had not responded to queries by deadline, nor had his attorney.

Julius urged the public to report any incidents of misconduct regarding health practitioners to her office on 031 830 5293.