Durban – Two people have been nabbed for administering medication to Mpumalanga residents.
Priscilla Sekhonyana, spokesperson for the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), said the pair were arrested during a joint operation between the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) and SAPS in the town of Kabokweni.
She said Sonto Zikalala was running the Mphilo Health Shop.
“She was found selling medication and providing medical services to members of the public while not registered with the HPCSA,” Sekhonyana said.
Zikalala had also been giving consultations, diagnosing people and prescribing medication to them, which they would buy from her health shop.
“She was selling medicine from schedules 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 to the public. Zikalala was arrested for contravening the Health Professions Act, 56 of 1974 and the Medicines and Related Substances Act, (Act 101 of 1965),” Sekhonyana said.
In a second operation, between the Inspectorate Office, Hawks, Sahpra and police, Moses Gumede was arrested after he, too, was found treating patients and selling scheduled medication.
Sekhonyana said he had been selling schedule 1, 3 and 4 medication and was not registered with the HPCSA.
“He was also charged for contravening the Health Professions Act, 56 of 1974, as well as the Medicines Act 101 of 1955,” the HPCSA said.
Sekhonyana warned the public to be vigilant and to report bogus health-care practitioners to the HPCSA as they were a threat to people’s lives.
The public is urged to check if a practitioner is registered by using the iRegister on the HPCSA website or phoning the HPCSA at 012 338 9100/1.
IOL