OFM News previously reported that several qualified doctors have not been registered with the council and thus remain unemployed and unable to help during an unsettling Covid-19 pandemic. 

DA MPL Mariëtte Pittaway then asked for the intervention of the provincial Health Department. She said she confirmed with three of the doctors that their registration was done and that they are now working. 

Acting Head of Corporate Affairs at the council, Priscilla Sekhonyana, says because of Covid-19 everything has been backlogged, resulting in a delayed registration process. She says sometimes the registration process for doctors are being delayed by the submission of incomplete registration forms. Sekhonyana, however, urge the doctors to contact her or the HPCSA to ensure that their documentation is correct and being processed.

Sekhonyana also indicated that the HPCSA has extended the registration process to accommodate any inconvenienced doctors. 

She says that medical interns seeking registration as Community Service medical practitioners, who sent their applications through mail on or before 1 Jan 2021 will be registered with an effective date of 1 January 2021. And those who sent their applications after 1 January 2021 will be processed effectively from that later date.

OFM News/Shirndré-Lee Simmons