Premier faces hearing over foreign patient controversy

The Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) last week started a discipinary hearing into Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba over comments she made during her tenure as provicinal Minister of Health in 2022. The remarks, captured on video and which went viral on social media, were directed at a foreigner receiving treatment at Bela Bela Hospital, a TimesLIVE report notes. The video shows her telling the patient SA's health-care resources were being stretched thin by the treatment of foreigners, especially undocumented ones. ‘You are illegal and you are abusing me. This is unfair, it is unfair. I cannot go to Zimbabwe and get health care,’ she said. Ramathuba also criticised the government’s allocation of healthcare budgets, claiming the funds were insufficient to meet the demands of citizens while foreigners received care. She said the National Treasury allocated the budget based on the number of residents in the province who need health care, which does not include foreigners. ‘We are operating on Mozambicans everywhere and you are not even registered and not counted,’ she said in the video. The comments sparked a backlash from several advocacy groups, who lodged complaints against Ramathuba with the HPCSA.

Among the complainants are Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia, Lawyers for Human Rights, Neighbours NPO, Treatment Action Campaign, Section 27, Socio-Economic Rights Institute, Health Justice Initiative, Progressive Health Forum and the Helen Suzman Foundation. TimesLIVE says they called for the HPCSA to revoke Ramathuba's registration as a medical professional and to investigate the health professionals in the video who did not intervene to protect the patient. As the HPCSA began its misconduct inquiry this week, #HandsOffPhophi went viral on social media, with many people, including Limpopo Health Department clinical manager Mike Mikia Ramothwala speaking out in her defence. This is not the first time the Premier has had to answer to the council. In January 2023, after the video went viral, the Medical and Dentist Professional Boards Committee of the HPCSA found evidence of unprofessional conduct. Ramathuba was handed a caution and reprimand, but she rejected the charges, arguing the allegations were unfounded and the HPCSA did not have jurisdiction in the matter.