Cape Town - More than 1 000 healthcare professionals in South Africa have written an open letter to health regulatory bodies and higher education institutions in South Africa, calling on them to take a firm and unapologetic stance over war crimes committed in Gaza, Palestine and for an academic boycott of Israel to be instituted.
The open letter condemning the human rights violations in Palestine and continued attacks on hospitals, healthcare workers and civilians by Israel was signed by 1 281 healthcare professionals in South Africa, making it the most compelling letter emanating from the sector.
The open letter was initiated by South African Healthcare Workers for Palestine, who have also held a number of demonstrations calling for a sustained and permanent ceasefire.
Several hospitals in Gaza have been directly targeted and more than 250 healthcare workers have been killed as a result of Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) attacks.
“There is no ethical justification for the systematic and targeted attacks on Palestinian healthcare workers, facilities, and patients. We therefore call on the HPCSA, CMSA, Sama, institutions of higher education and all other regulatory bodies to take a stand against the oppression faced by the Palestinian people,” read the open letter.
The signatories asserted that the right to seek medical assistance was a human right and should never be denied, especially in a time of crisis.
“As South African healthcare workers committed to upholding the integrity of our professions while advocating for human rights, we cannot remain silent while hospitals, healthcare workers and patients are systematically and violently targeted. Institutional pressure needs to be utilised; it is time to heed the call for an academic boycott of Israeli institutions.”
The letter also urged the institutions to join the calls for an urgent and permanent ceasefire, an end to the illegal occupation of Palestine and an end to the implementation of an apartheid system.
Groote Schuur Hospital specialist neurologist and Gift of the Givers medical volunteer Dr Aayesha Soni said as paying members of these regulatory bodies, they should represent the views of its members and cannot remain silent anymore.
“The Zionist Israeli army cannot be allowed to continue to do what they’re doing without external pressure and that pressure is only going to come from international leaders.
“The second thing that we’re calling for is a complete boycott of Israel from a healthcare worker perspective, and from an academic institutional perspective.”
Yesterday, the World Health Organization expressed concern over the prolonged checks and detention of healthcare workers during a WHO-led mission to deliver trauma and surgical supplies to Al-Ahli Hospital on Saturday.
WHO director-general Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said the mission was stopped twice at the Wadi Gaza checkpoint and some Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) staff were detained. A truck carrying medical supplies and an ambulance were also hit by bullets.
On Tuesday, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said it was also deeply worried about Awni Khattab, head of Khan Younis Emergency Medical Center in Gaza, who was arrested by the IDF 21 days ago and whose whereabouts are unknown.
shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za