Triumph is the best medicine for returning SA doctors
In February, the HPCSA had decided to enforce a regulation proposed in 2009.
The regulation compelled returning doctors to do internships in their countries of study to be eligible to write the HPCSA’s board exams so they could practise in South Africa.
The applicants received a letter on February 16 informing them of the enforcement of the regulation.
This was problematic for them as completing internships in their countries of study was not possible, mainly due to the difficulty of getting work permits.
Hundreds of the affected doctors joined forces to take legal action against the HPCSA.
In the interim, one KwaZulu-Natal doctor, Kapil Sevnaran, lodged an urgent application in the Gauteng High Court earlier this month to appeal the decision.
Sevnaran’s application stated that the HPCSA had conducted itself “unethically and inefficiently” to the detriment and prejudice of young, aspiring South African doctors in a country facing a dire shortage of doctors.
Attorney Annie Tooray, from Pravda Knowles and Associates, which lodged the application, confirmed that the HPCSA had been in contact with her regarding the appeal against the regulation.
Tooray forwarded an e-mail to Independent Media from the HPCSA’s Doreen Musemwa confirming that the affected doctors were now eligible to write the board exams in May or June as well as in October or November, depending on the number of applications received by the regulatory body.
“It is necessary to have the affected group split into two as the exam venue can only accommodate 120 candidates and we received applications from close to 220 applicants.
“Each applicant will be advised on which sitting they have been allocated to,” Musema wrote in the e-mail.
nabeelah.shaikh@inl.co.za