‘Covid-19 prevention pack’ claim dismissed
Desperate to receive what they believe is a “Covid-19 prevention pack” — which includes injections and pills — some Eastern Cape people are flooding a doctor’s private practice in East London.
So popular is the purported “Covid-19 prevention pack” that scores of people are risking possible infection as they rush to Dr Chukky Selanto-Chairman’s practice — where social distancing is not always adhered to when people queue to see her.
While Selanto-Chairman and the health department have dismissed the notion that she offers shots and pills to keep the coronavirus at bay, she has been inundated with patients, prompting her to close her practice on Monday for deep cleaning.
News of the “prevention pack” has been widely shared on social media platforms. Selanto-Chairman admits she is aware of the voice notes circulating that claim she offers the injections and pills.
Speaking through her legal representative, Ncumisa Nongogo, Selanto-Chairman denied the allegations.
The Health Professions Councils of SA (HPCSA) said they had received no complaints against the doctor.
HPCSA head of professional practice Mpho Mbodi said: “But there are other cases reported to the council of similar nature.” Mbodi called on citizens to report any questionable practices by health professionals to the HPCSA.
In one voice note, a woman claims Selanto-Chairman gave her four injections and seven pills. In another, a woman can be heard saying: “She gave me four injections and about six to seven pills she calls the Covid19 pack, and said I must return after a couple days and told me to be fresh and that there is no need to quarantine.”
The woman claimed she was told there was no need to be quarantined for 14 days.
In an interview, a patient who did not want to be named, said she had visited Selanto-Chairman.
“I went there last week and I had two injections for three days in a row which she called the Covid pack and people are believing what is being said on that voice note because the doctor’s practice gets full every day.”
Another source said she had to call Buffalo City Metro as people packed the pavements and blocked the road as they rushed to queue, ignoring social distancing rules completely.
“There are people who come from as far as Mthatha.”
BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said: “Traffic attended the complaint ... SAPS and law enforcement was on scene.”
When called on Monday, Selanto-Chairman initially declined to comment.
“I have nothing to say to you about that.” When pressed for her side of the story, SelantoChairman referred questions to Nongogo.
“The allegation is false. I know of no Covid-19 prevention injection. There is no vaccine for Covid-19 and I am not aware of any medication that can prevent Covid-19.
“I consult patients who present themselves at my rooms or those who have made appointment to consult. I only learn of the condition of the patient upon consulting with them.
“It is after a patient has given the history of their symptoms and on examination, signs will suggest a diagnosis. I have no way of predetermining what each of the patients is suffering from when they present [themselves].”
When asked what the four injections were patients claimed to have been injected with, Nongogo said: “We are instructed that the treatment administered and management of patients is determined by the symptoms of each patient.”
Nongogo confirmed her client’s practice was closed on Monday for “decontamination and to catch up with administration work as we have been working long hours for the past few weeks”.
Provincial health spokesperson Siyanda Manana said: “There is no vaccine that can prevent Covid-19. The only thing people can do is to follow government regulations and if there is any misconduct from the doctor then we will certainly investigate.”
Dr Chukky Selanto-Chairman has been inundated with patients