[ad_1]
The place of the incident.
- The HPCSA has condemned the death of anesthetist Dr. Abdulhay Munshi, saying that people cannot take the law into their own hands.
- Dr. Kgosi Letlape, president of HPCSA, urged the profession to stay together.
- Munshi was shot and killed in Johannesburg on Wednesday. He was a co-defendant in a wrongful death case along with Dr. Peter Beale.
The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) said apparent “vigilante behavior” was involved in the “premature and gruesome death” of anesthetist Dr. Abdulhay Munshi on Wednesday.
READ | Doctor charged with wrongful death shot dead in Johannesburg
Speaking during a briefing on Thursday, HPCSA President Dr. Kgosi Letlape said that healthcare professionals must come together to protect the profession.
“We believe that this is a sad day and it is extremely dangerous if healthcare professionals are to be treated like criminals,” Letlape said.
Munshi was shot in Johannesburg on Wednesday afternoon.
He was a co-defendant in a wrongful death case along with pediatric surgeon Dr. Peter Beale in connection with the death of 10-year-old Zayyan Sayed shortly after he underwent surgery.
The matter is in its early stages and has been postponed to next month.
Letlape said Munshi’s murder had “serious implications” for doctors.
“It would be difficult for me to continue practicing my profession if this is how society is going to treat us,” he said.
“We do not want professionals now to select that this patient is likely to die, I am not going to risk trying to save a life because by saving a life I have threatened my own life.
“We don’t want to practice under those circumstances or have a climate of fear when we have a solemn duty and an oath to keep to put our patients first.”
The HPCSA was investigating the complaints against Munshi and Beale when the matter was brought to court and criminal charges were brought against the two.
Letlape said due process must be followed in the medical field within a self-regulating sector.
He added that the investigation into Beale and Munshi was interrupted by the decision to press charges, rather than leaving the matter to “independent structures.”
“What is impacting our ability to do our job is that … there is an illegal process that is taking place in the courts,” he charged.
“On our side in this matter, we have done our best, as we do with all other matters.”
“Part of what has contributed to the delays is the legalization of our processes,” Letlape said.
Letlape said the HPCSA was “painfully aware of the contagion of legalization” in the field and was seeking to rewrite regulations to halt the delays in investigations, making current processes within the council “similar to the courts.”
“On the notion that people can take justice into their own hands in a case they know nothing about just because they have a matter that has taken years … it would be extremely unfortunate if we now start looking for a justification for the behavior of the vigilantes against the professionals, “Letlape said.
READ ALSO | The murder of Dr. Abdulhay Munshi is ‘outrageous and deplorable’ – SAMA
