The MEC for Health in the province, Madoda Sambatha, on Wednesday held a media briefing to clear the air around circumstances that led to Professor Ebrahim Variava's suspension. He says Variava is facing serious charges, hence the decision to place him on a precautionary suspension had to be taken. 

Variava is accused of, amongst others, actions against current Covid-19 guidelines, allegedly compromising a limited number of test kits and acting in a manner suspicious of unapproved research. 

Sambatha further says Variava is again facing a charge of failing and disregarding administrative protocols, which include requesting computers from a private company and instructing that they are installed in the wards without any approval.

Other charges that Variava is facing, include obstructing the hospital's management in all meetings planned to prepare for Covid-19. 

Sambatha adds that Variava is further accused of "failure to act as part of management through a tendency to write emails to stakeholders, including external [stakeholders] such as the media, Section 27 and different national government departments without any effort to engage internal problems, solving mechanisms or allowing management time to resolve issues".

On Wednesday, a Clinical and Research colleague, Neil Martinson, and others issued a statement in which they reacted with shock to the suspension of Variava. 

Martinson told OFM News that the suspended head had previously raised concerns with the department about the repeated and lengthy drug stock-outs of medication mostly used for patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), amongst others. "His suspension comes during a declared National Disaster when medical professionals - particularly those that are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with severe medical illness - are most required. We feel none of the poorly drafted charges bears any relation to Professor Variava’s conduct and dedication to both patient care and academia, Martinson said.

"The alleged unprofessional conduct of Variava has threatened labour peace at a time when it is most needed in the face of Covid-19. The implications of his alleged unprofessional conduct are such that as a result of Variava allegedly testing four nurses and 36 patients without reasonable grounds, labour unions demanded explanations of the policy on testing, wanting to know why all nurses are not tested," Sambatha adds.

The Department is expected to appoint an independent body to handle the disciplinary process of Variava.

"The independent body will be given seven days to complete the process and give me a report to consider and until then, I will not interfere with administrative processes," he further adds.

So far the province has 1 222 active cases after 175 patients recovered from the virus, with 5 deaths recorded from 1 402 reported cases.

OFM News