A doctor accused of issuing a fraudulent death certificate and failing to confirm the identity of a deceased has denied all allegations.
|||Durban - A KwaZulu-Natal doctor accused of issuing a fraudulent death certificate and failing to confirm the identity of a dead person has denied all knowledge of the certificate.
Thandiwe Faith Bhengu laid a complaint with the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) against Dr D Pillay, currently based in Greytown, after she was suddenly denied a child grant because she had been declared “deceased”.
On Thursday, Pillay pleaded not guilty before an HPCSA inquiry, arguing he was present at the practice, which he was managing for a friend, during February and September 2009, but did not sign the death certificate in question.
It is alleged that on September 25, 2009, a man referred to only as Ntuli arrived at the doctors’ rooms and informed Pillay that the deceased, whom he said was his wife, had died the previous day.
The deceased was identified as “Bhengu”, using an ID book the complainant had lost in 2006. A natural death certificate was issued with the cause of death noted as “respiratory distress”.
Bhengu, a student constable from Mtubatuba, north of Richards Bay, testified at the inquiry yesterday that in October 2009 she was told she would no longer be paid the grant for her child and was referred to the closest welfare department for assistance.
She had been receiving the grant monthly for approximately the past 10 years.
Bhengu said Home Affairs, in Tongaat had confirmed her “deceased” status, and she opened a criminal case.
She said she also found out that she was married to a “Ntuli”. She had never met him before, she said.
Bhengu said she noticed the ID used to issue the death certificate was the one she had lost in 2006.
Standard Bank notified her that someone had tried to claim on her lapsed policy. The bank did not disclose who the person was, she said.
Regarding the criminal matter, Bhengu said she last heard that the undertaker had been charged.
Pillay’s lawyer put it to Bhengu that this “fell in line” with his client’s version that he did not know where the death certificate came from.
“From what you are saying, it would seem that the respondent (Pillay) is just as innocent as you are,” Scott said.
On Thursday, expert witness Dr Basil Wingreen, of East London, said his biggest problem with the death certificate was the cause of death recorded.
Wingreen said there was no mention that Pillay examined the body for external injuries or used any medical records to assist him in his finding.
He said it appeared as though the death certificate was issued solely relying on the ID book.
Wingreen also pointed out that the marital status of the deceased reflected “single”.
A 33-year-old dying of respiratory distress was highly unlikely, and the matter should have been referred to the police for investigation, he said.
Wingreen said it was clearly stated on the death certificate not to note “respiratory distress” as a cause of death as it was merely a symptom.
“Respiratory distress is not a primary acceptable cause of death. When the respondent (Pillay) recorded the cause of death he did the opposite of what he was meant to do,” he said.
To issue a death certificate without an examination of the deceased, an affidavit or a detailed medical history could amount to “culpable negligence”, he said.
“If that deceased is not a patient of the attending doctor, the informant should be able to provide a detailed medical history.”
Wingreen said that in this case there was no information about whether the deceased’s condition was chronic, or whether she was a cancer or Aids patient.
During cross-examination Wingreen conceded it was not uncommon for various sections on the death certificate to be completed by the doctor in addition to the undertaker, informant or even a nurse.
In dispute before the commencement of the inquiry was the letter of explanation submitted to the council by Pillay. In the letter, Pillay makes no mention of the death certificate being fraudulent. His lawyer, J Scott, said it had only come to his attention a few days ago that the signature and handwriting on the death certificate did not belong to Pillay.
Scott said this came as a surprise to Pillay when he pointed it out to him.
The matter continues.
rizwana.umar@inl.co.za
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