Patients come first - Aids doc

2003-03-11 09:32

Linda de Nysschen

Nelspruit - Mpumalanga doctors are so scared of prosecution they cannot treat their patients properly.

Former Rob Ferreira Hospital superintendent Dr Thys von Mollendorff was speaking about his decision not to resume his position, despite an agreement with the provincial health department under which all charges against him had been withdrawn.

Von Mollendorff said: "The day the department is patient-friendly again, I might return. I would like to stay on since there is a huge shortage of senior doctors.

"All of them, however, are so scared of prosecution, they can't perform their duties."

The withdrawal of action against Von Mollendorff comes barely a week after the department and health MEC Sibongile Manana withdrew their case against the Greater Nelspruit Rape Intervention Project (Grip).

The provincial health department had dismissed Von Mollendorff for allowing Grip to operate a care centre for rape victims from the hospital.

Agreement signed by lunchtime

He was also blamed for "damages" of R17 000 the department had had to pay for its first attempts at banning Grip from the hospital.

The department's attempts to oust Grip and Von Mollendorff started more than two years ago before antiretroviral drugs for rape victims were legalised.

Grip provided the drugs on demand and on doctors' prescription to victims.

An arbitration hearing of the health sector's mediation council had been scheduled for Monday. Instead, the department indicated it would settle.

An agreement between both parties was reached and signed by lunchtime.

Under the agreement, Von Mollendorff must receive a year's salary, with benefits, within three weeks.

The department was ordered to pay his legal costs of almost R100 000 said his legal council, Eric Louw. Grip's legal costs, also to be settled by the department, amount to at least R44 000.

Von Mollendorff asked for a public apology from health MEC Sibongile Manana, but the department refused to agree to this.

Louw said the agreement, as it now stood, was nothing more than an apology. "It is very clear who is right and who is wrong."

Dumisani Mlangeni of the provincial health department said they were relieved the case was now closed. The department would honour its agreement with Von Mollendorff.

Mlangeni said Manana was not available for comment as she was at an African National Congress meeting.

Starting own practice

Departmental chief Rina Charles had also been on her way to a meeting, and had declined to comment as she did not have all the facts regarding the agreement.

Grip executive officer Barbara Kenyon said she was "delighted".

"Why could they not have done the right thing from the start? I hope Dr Von Mollendorff is compensated for the stress and trauma the department has caused him and his family," said Kenyon.

Von Mollendorff said he was investigating the possibility of opening his own practice in White River, his home town. For now, he wants to bury the case.

Even though his wife, Suzaan, and four daughters had supported him throughout, it had been difficult at times. Now, they could continue with their lives.

- Beeld