Cape Town - Anti-abortion activists are celebrating after the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) bowed to pressure from various lobby groups pressing the case of pro-life medic Dr Jacques de Vos and cleared him to practise as a doctor again.
The HPCSA’s decision means that Dr De Vos can continue with his career after an almost 5-year ban during which his battle with the council got as far as the Pretoria High Court in an attempt to force a disciplinary hearing. The court’s judgment was reserved.
In 2017 Dr De Vos was suspended from a gynaecology rotation during his internship at 2 Military Hospital in Cape Town after advising a woman that her 19-week-old unborn baby was a human life.
The allegations that he likened her terminating her pregnancy to the killing of a human being led to his being charged with dissuading the patient from terminating her pregnancy, disrespecting the dignity of the patient, and using emotive language to convey his beliefs.
As a result, 2 Military Hospital refused to sign off Dr De Vos’ internship, which he had completed, citing what they termed “his refusal to comply with basic medical ethics.”
Now with HPCSA having relented and approved his registration as a medical practitioner, Dr De Vos can complete his community service as a medical doctor.
ACDP MP Marie Sukers said: “This is a massive victory in the battle for the sanctity of human life. It is also a major step in the right direction to guarantee the unborn child the reasonable protection that it deserves.”
She said the ACDP was looking forward to the court’s judgment, but for now was overjoyed that Dr De Vos could practise medicine again.
“He can once again make a crucial difference in the lives of our people, especially in that of the unborn.”
Sukers said she hoped the HPCSA would apologise to Dr De Vos unreservedly, and also compensate him fairly for the income he had lost as a result of the ban.
ChristianView Network advocacy group head Philip Rosenthal said: “At our request, the HPCSA agreed to review their policy that led to the unjust prosecution of De Vos and we look forward to this being changed.”
The Doctors For Life lobby group said in a statement that it was “delighted” with the fact that Dr De Vos can finally practise medicine.
“We were appalled at the unfair and discriminatory manner in which he was treated. The scientific reality of the humanity of the unborn child is generally undisputed.”
By the time of writing, Dr De Vos, who underwent specialist surgery for a degenerative venous condition in June last year, had not responded to the questions sent via his attorney, Martus de Wet.