11 000 'medics' face fees axe

2006-10-09 19:28

Johannesburg - The number of health professionals to be struck off the roll is in the process of being finalised, said the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) on Monday.

Health practitioners were warned that if they failed to make their annual compulsory membership payments they would be deregistered.

The HPCSA's Tendai Dhliwayo said it was too soon to estimate how many practitioners had failed to meet the deadline.

"The figures are not ready yet. I have been liaising with the finance division and the number of practitioners who paid is in the process of being calculated," he said.

11 057 haven't paid fees yet

A large number of health practitioners, including doctors, paramedics, dentists, psychologists and ambulance assistants had not paid their registration fees by Thursday last week, the day before the deadline.

The council said a total of 11 057 practitioners had not paid their fees and were in danger of being erased from their registry.

Gauteng would lose 3 286 practitioners, 2 102 members had fees owing in KwaZulu-Natal and 428 in the Western Cape.

Practitioners struck off the roll after Friday's deadline would have to pay a penalty to be reinstated.

If an application to be restored to the registry is made six months after being struck off, twice the annual fee is required.

Practising without being registered with the HPCSA is a criminal offence in terms of the Health Professions Act.

- SAPA