UK-based Doctor Says Dr Phophi's "Lecture Is For Decision-makers" Not A Patient

A Zimbabwean medical doctor based in the United Kingdom has said a “lecture” that was given by Dr Phophi Ramathuba was inappropriate for a patient. Ramathuba is a South African Member of the Executive (MEC) for Health in the Limpopo Province. In a statement seen by Pindula News, Dr Brighton Chireka said it would have been great if Ramathuba told decision-makers that Zimbabweans were worsening South Africa’s health crisis by seeking medical attention there. We present his statement:

Doctors are advocates for patients

By Dr Brighton Chireka

The viral video of Dr Phophi Ramathuba giving a lecture to a Zimbabwean patient raises a lot of issues. The way we see a problem is the problem. We can decide to see it in one lens or have a 360-degree view of it. I have heard valid arguments from both sides. Let me contribute by saying that this is a WICKED PROBLEM with no easy solutions.

Firstly, we have a collapsed health system and economy in Zimbabwe which is struggling to look after its citizen. That has to be addressed.
We cannot continue to depend on our neighbours while we fail to revive our own health system. We cannot continue to pretend that everything is right. Our health system is completely broken down and we are struggling to get basic healthcare. That must be addressed as a matter of urgency.

Secondly, we have a local health system in SA Limpopo area that is struggling to cope with the influx of immigrants seeking healthcare. That needs addressing. Remember people can also travel regardless of how effective their own health system can be.

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Thirdly, we have a medical doctor ( MEC) who is using the wrong platform and behaving in an unethical manner which brings the profession into disrepute.

Fourthly, there are other issues at play here which may not be obvious now but will come to light when one investigates or get more details about this doctor, the hospital, the province and the patient.

What is obvious at the moment and what is causing an outcry is the behaviour of this doctor. She is out of line, unprofessional, unethical and behaving immorally and inhumane. She is a loose cannon that must not be allowed to roam our medical wards. She is toxic and traumatising patients.

This is a vulnerable patient under a healthcare system. The patient is not someone they met in a street or a pub. It is someone under their medical care. Even if you have operated on me that does not give you the right to tell me off. Also this MEC has direct links with the president of SA and Zwe so she must use her political connections to raise this issue. It is unfair to offload your frustration on a patient who in most cases is a victim of the situation.

For now, I have a bone to chew with this colleague. She can do better. She is a disgrace to the profession. I say that because I am also treating vulnerable people where I have my views but I do not offload it on them. Also, we have the Good Medical Practice that governs us worldwide. It expects us to be better than this and we can do better than this doc. We must use other channels and this colleague must know better. This is not a good video to watch and she must be ashamed of herself watching this video. She can try to defend her actions but the truth of the matter is that she made a mistake by offloading her frustrations to an innocent patient.

Doctors are not immigration officers and doctors must not impose their views or opinions on patients. Doctors are licensed for a reason and that reason means that we must behave in a professional way. We do not impose our views, for example, religious or political views on patients. We treat criminals and murderers but we do not tell them off. We let the courts do their job and we focus ourselves on treating patients without bias or prejudice.

When everything has been said more needs to be done, Zimbabwe health system must be sorted but it is not right to give an unnecessary lecture to a patient in a hospital about how unfair it is that he or she is being treated. This lecture is for decision-makers and is inappropriate to a patient.

Pindula News