13 Oct 2015

Ministry of Health (MoH) warns all health professionals and the public regarding unwarranted sick leave and medical certificates. A press release from MoH states that there have been reports that some health practitioners sell and give unwarranted sick leave.

Furthermore, it says that there have been other cases where forgeries of sick leave have been intentionally crafted to authenticate absenteeism from work.

Health professionals are warned that granting a patient a medical certificate that is not warranted or false is not only unethical and unprofessional but also tantamounts to fraudulent crime.

The public is forthwith warned that cohesion of practitioners to grant medically unjustified sick leave is a criminal act and that the professional in so doing commits a criminal, unprofessional and unethical act.

The release says, alteration of medical certificates is also a fraudulent act that the public is warned against.

Health professionals are warned that such acts are contrary to Regulations 22, 28 and 30 of the Botswana Health Professions Act, 2001.

The release states that it is highlighted that in accordance with the Employment Act section 100, an employee is entitled to sick leave as the medical officer concerned recommends. It is therefore against the law for other professionals other than a medical officer to issue sick leave.

The public is notified to take this matter seriously and health workers who are implicated in this will be dealt with accordingly. Ends