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Netcare distances itself from views of SA heart surgeon in anti-vaxx video

Ernest Mabuza Journalist
Netcare has distanced itself from the views expressed by prominent heart surgeon Dr Susan Vosloo regarding Covid-19 vaccinations.
Netcare has distanced itself from the views expressed by prominent heart surgeon Dr Susan Vosloo regarding Covid-19 vaccinations.
Image: SUNDAY TIMES/SEBABATSO MOSAMO

Netcare has distanced itself from the views expressed by a prominent heart surgeon who advised people in a video that has gone viral against taking Covid-19 vaccines.

Dr Susan Vosloo said “the risk of the vaccination is worse than the risk of virus” and that “the vaccination was not brought in for Covid, but that Covid was brought in for the vaccination”, reported Vrye Weekblad.

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She also said the composition of the vaccine was a secret, “like the herbs for Kentucky [KFC]”, and that it could prove to be deadly.

Vosloo has a practice at the Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital in Cape Town.

Jacques du Plessis, MD of Netcare’s hospital division, on Friday expressed “profound disappointment and disbelief” on learning about  Vosloo's video.

“The sentiments as expressed in the contents of the video are in complete contradiction to the unrelenting endeavours of Netcare, our clinical colleagues, healthcare workers and others to try and curb the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

Du Plessis said the video also contradicted the views and endeavours of the department of health as well as those of global institutions such as the World Health Organisation.

“Given the grave implications of the comments made by Dr Vosloo and the potential deleterious impact on both national and global efforts to curb Covid-19, Netcare completely dissociates itself from Dr Vosloo’s anti-vaccination message.

“Nevertheless, we have full regard for the fact that as a medical professional, Dr Vosloo is an independent practitioner and that as an individual she is fully entitled to her own views.”

Du Plessis said to date, Netcare had vaccinated more than 110,000 people, including 33,000 healthcare workers.

Netcare has three active vaccination sites, each of which is capable of delivering 5,000 vaccine doses per day, he said.

“We have treated more than 110,000 Covid-positive patients throughout the group, of which more than 50,000 required hospitalisation in our hospitals alone.

“We have sadly lost 76 of our colleagues. As a healthcare organisation deeply committed to the health and wellbeing of all South Africans, we stand squarely behind the efforts to vaccinate as many individuals as soon as possible.”

TimesLIVE


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