A 51-year-old man who allegedly posed as a medical doctor and treated hundreds of patients over the past three years at a surgery in Havenside Drive, Chatsworth, has been arrested in a sting operation by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
Ashley Ramsarup, of Bellair, was apprehended last Thursday and appeared in the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. He faces charges of fraud and contravening multiple sections of the Health Professions Act, 56 of 1974, including sections 17, 39, and 40, which relate to practising without proper registration.
According to the HPCSA, Mr Ramsarup had been operating from the surgery of the late Dr Govindaraj Muruvan and had issued medical certificates in the deceased doctor’s name. His arrest came after an HPCSA investigator, posing as a patient, was issued a fraudulent medical certificate during a covert operation.
Following his arrest, Ramsarup was granted R2 000 bail at the Bayview SAPS. The case has been adjourned to next month for further investigation.
Provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, confirmed Mr Ramsarup’s arrest for allegedly practising medicine without the required documentation.
“He was found to be operating as a health practitioner without registration in Havenside,” Colonel Netshiunda said.
The arrest is part of an ongoing crackdown on illegal medical practitioners by the HPCSA. In a statement, the council said its inspectorate team uncovered unlawful medical activities at the facility and found Mr Ramsarup attending to patients without the necessary credentials.
It is further alleged that his wife had worked with him in the surgery as a nurse.
Investigations into the matter continue.