Bogus medical practitioners on the prowl

THE Health Professions Authority of Zimbabwe (HPAZ) has warned members of the public to be wary of some people who are masquerading as health specialists and go to the extent of setting up “practicing premises”.

This comes in the wake of the arrest of a bogus dentist last week, who had set up premises at Machipisa Business Centre in Harare.

The bogus medical practitioner was arrested following a regular inspection carried out by HPAZ.

HPAZ secretary-general Mr Shepherd Humure said in an interview yesterday that members of the public should report any suspicious medical practitioners to the authority.

“We urge members of the public to report urgently if they suspect a bogus health practitioner,” he said. “If any member of the public gives us a report, we trace to find out if the institution is operating with a practising certificate.

“When we discover that the health practitioner is bogus, we make it a police case.”

Mr Humure also issued a statement urging members of the public to be alert.

“It is an offence for people whether in private or public health institutions to masquerade as doc- tors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, radiologists, medical laboratory scientists etc and mislead the public and patients when they do not hold such titles,” he said.

“Members of the public are advised to report bogus health practitioners to the Health Professions Authority.” The authority also set January 31 as the deadline for all health institutions to renew their 2017 registration certificates.

Health institutions found operating without renewing their registration certificates from March 1 will be charged a non-compliance fee apart from facing possible closure.

“All practising Health Practitioners operating in any health institu- tion in Zimbabwe (whether private or public) should ensure that they are holders of valid practising certificates stipulated under Part XV11, Section 91 of 96 of the Health Professions Act (Chapter 27:19,” he said.

“All employees of Health Professions (whether private or public) are reminded that they should only employ health practitioners who are registered with their respective councils and are holders of valid practising certificates.”

In the past, cases of people posing as health practitioners were reported, with others going to the extend of frequenting hospital wards disguised as doctors or nurses.