SA medics to focus on euthanasia

The South African Medical Association will tackle the controversial issue of medically assisted suicide at its conference this month.

Cape Town - The South African Medical Association (SAMA) would be talking about the controversial issue medically assisted suicide at its conference this month, the association said on Tuesday.

The SAMA Conference would focus on important ethical issues facing doctors in South Africa the association said, especially on euthanasia and palliative care and the epidemic of depression in the country.

Another issue which would be spoken about at the conference was the ethical aspects of social media when used by healthcare professionals to provide advice.

“Euthanasia remains one of the most contentious issues in medical care and is a topic that divides opinion,” said SAMA.

SAMA noted how euthanasia made headlines in the country when Cape Town advocate Robin Stransham-Ford won a protracted legal battle for individual physician assisted suicide.

“At the time the North Gauteng High Court recommended that existing laws be developed to bring them into line with the Constitution,” said SAMA.

Some of the speakers at the conference would include South African Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and Professor Melodie Slabbert, Deputy Executive Dean for the College of Law at the University of South Africa.

Slabbert would present a paper which SAMA said would focus on “the current legal position relating to assisted suicide in South Africa, with specific emphasis on the position of healthcare practitioners in this regard”.

Delegates would be able to view various exhibitions that were specific to the medical field, including an exhibition on 3D printing applications for the medical profession.

In addition to this, a highlight of the conference would be the SAMA-Bonitas House Call Doctor’s Awards which “recognise medical heroes who have been nominated by their peers in the profession,” said SAMA.

The SAMA Conference would take place at the Sandton Convention Centre from September 18-20.

ANA