Sunday Tribune

Report fake health facilities – department

ZAMA NGCOYA Zama.ngcoya@inl.co.za

THE Kwazulu-natal Department of Health has urged job seekers and the sick to report any facility that falsely portrays itself as a healthcare provider.

The Sunday Tribune reported recently about a bogus website that advertised a non-existent medical facility, Eamed Healthcare Group, practising in Durban north.

The group’s website, which was constantly updated, claimed to have a number of hospitals under its ownership, namely La Lucia Private Hospital, Sandton Private Hospital, and Whiteriver Private Hospital, among them.

The group placed great emphasis on the facilities purportedly at La Lucia

Private Hospital, with its establishment allegedly dating back to November 2019.

The website stated that the La Lucia Private Hospital was situated at 3 Imbenge Close, Umhlanga 4051, Durban, which was found by the Sunday Tribune to be the Ilala Ridge Estate in Umhlanga, and did not have a medical facility anywhere in the vicinity.

Spokesperson for the provincial Department of Health Ntokozo Maphisa said Eamed Healthcare Group was not licensed or known to the Kwazulu-natal department and was therefore operating illegally.

He said all private healthcare facilities were licensed by the department and were expected to display their licence in an area where the public could see it.

The public was urged to play a role in the fight against such practices by reporting people who purported to be licensed healthcare operators, to the Head of Department or the Office of Health Care Standards, on the toll-free number: 080 911 6472 or email: complaints@ohsc.org.za.

A job seeker who almost fell victim to the scam contacted this reporter this week.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said she submitted an application for a job at La Lucia Hospital after it was recommended to her by an online recruitment agency.

She said she received a phone call two weeks later from a man called Justice Nene, who identified himself as the hospital’s senior human resources officer. He asked whether she had been contacted by the human resources department in the morning, as they were impressed by her credentials. He advised her to expect a call from them soon.

She said Nene called again a day later requesting a payment in order to secure the position as she was the ideal candidate.

“Nene said that this was a lucrative job opportunity and that I should transfer an amount of R8 000. He was adamant that the bribe was an investment for me as I would be guaranteed a position which would see me earning a salary between R18 000 to R35 000 and would start working next week.”

She then researched the group and the “hospital” further before calling the management of the housing estate, which confirmed the con.

METRO

en-za

2022-06-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-06-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://sundaytribune.pressreader.com/article/281616719051521

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