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- The South African Medical Association says it was shocked to learn of the death of anesthetist Dr. Abdulhay Munshi.
- Munshi was shot and killed in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
- He and Dr. Peter Beale were taken to court last year after the death of a 10-year-old patient.
The South African Medical Association (SAMA) said it was shocked to learn of the death of anesthetist Dr. Abdulhay Munshi.
Munshi, the co-defendant in a wrongful death case along with pediatric surgeon Dr. Peter Beale, was shot and killed in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
SAMA said it deplored the violence that resulted in Munshi’s murder and that it was a sad day when a country failed to guarantee the safety of its health workers.
A vehicle reportedly crashed into the rear of Munshi’s vehicle while he was driving in a Johannesburg suburb and, when he left to inspect the damage, he was shot six times in the neck.
Munshi and Beale were taken to court last year after the death of Mohammad Sayed’s 10-year-old son after an operation.
Zayyaan Sayed died in October 2019 at Netcare’s Park Lane Clinic hours after undergoing surgery.
The court case was in an early stage and had been postponed until November 16, according to the Daily Dispatch.
SAMA says that according to sources, these charges were about to be dropped based on post-mortem tests.
READ | Doctor charged with wrongful death allegedly shot to death in Johannesburg
‘Organized murder’
“This appears to be an organized murder whose circumstances we hope will be clarified through a thorough and intensive investigation. This murder is the result of a systematic failure of law and order in our country. As physicians, we always consider the best interests of our own. patients and we do everything we can to ensure their safety. It is beyond disappointing when this care is not reciprocated by the society we serve every day, “said Dr. Angelique Coetzee, President of SAMA.
Coetzee said Munshi’s murder once again highlighted the high levels of crime in the country and the “low value that criminals place on human lives.”
He said that the fact that a doctor was killed in this way would reverberate throughout the medical community and would ultimately cause further damage in the future.
A colleague was shot 6 times in what appears to be revenge for a poor patient outcome.
Please understand that if you come to find us as doctors, we will not do so when you need us.
This is an outrage and every decent person should be in arms.
RIP Dr. Abdulhay Munshi.
– Jonathan Witt (@Jonathan_Witt) September 16, 2020
“Already, doctors are becoming more risk averse due to legal issues. That one of our colleagues has been murdered in cold blood like this, apparently in connection with a patient’s outcome, will make many think twice about taking decisions that could potentially save lives, but that can also have negative results. It is an untenable situation, “said Coetzee.
Another low point for the medical profession
SAMA said it was important for the entire medical community to come together to collectively condemn the murder and put pressure on the police to find those responsible as soon as possible. In addition, SAMA called on civil society to lobby to ensure that the government takes immediate and effective measures to curb violent crime.
“This is another low point for the profession, and words cannot begin to express how this is and will affect all physicians and indeed all healthcare workers in the country. We anticipate that many physicians will question themselves. themselves in future for fear of being similarly attacked and ultimately leading to poorer intervention and care for patients. It is a sad, sad day for doctors and patients and we call on everyone at our country to join their doctors in condemning this heinous attack, “said Coetzee.
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