One of SA’s most well-known heart surgeons finds herself in the midst of a media storm after a video of her advising people against taking Covid-vaccines went viral this week.
Dr Susan Vosloo is one of SA’s most eminent doctors. In 1988 she was the first woman to qualify as a heart surgeon, and did her first heart transplant at the age of 33. As a practising paediatric heart surgeon she is highly regarded, and this is why her pronouncements have elicited such great dismay.
In the video, Vosloo says that “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”. She also pronounces that the composition of the vaccination is a secret, “like the herbs for Kentucky”, and that it could prove to be deadly.
She further says in the video (on the BitChute platform) that death “is one of the complications of the vaccination”, which could also possibly lead to other problems such as “infertility, serious neurological complications and vascular damage”.
She does not support any of her allegations with scientific research and when confronted by Vrye Weekblad reporter, Elsabè Brits, says the video was “private” and that the chatter about it would die down within a few days.
Prof Marc Mendelson, head of transmissible diseases and HIV-medicine at Groote Schuur-hospital and the University of Cape Town, says he has “rarely been exposed to such complete rubbish from a member of the medical establishment”.
Netcare has expressed their “disappoint and disbelief” by the anti-vaccination stance by a heart surgeon affiliated with the hospital.
The healthcare group said it rejected in the strongest terms Dr Susan Vosloo’s anti-vaccination message.
Vosloo’s views came to light earlier this week in a 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,” managing director of Netcare’s hospital division, Jacques du Plessis, said in a statement on Friday.
“The video further contradicts the views and endeavours of the South African National Department of Health as well as those of global institutions such as the World Health Organization.”
Du Plessis said Vosloo’s comments had “grave implications” for national and global efforts to curb Covid-19, and that the hospital was disassociating itself from her anti-vaccination views.
He added that as a medical professional, however, Vosloo was entitled to her own views, but wished to remind the country that Netcare stands behind the efforts to vaccinate as many people, as quickly as possible.
So far, Netcare has treated more than 110,000 Covid positive patients, of which more than 50,000 required hospitalisations.
76 Netcare staff members have died due to Covid-19.
Over 100,000 people, including 33,000 healthcare workers have also been vaccinated through Netcare, which has three active sites capable of delivering 5,000 jabs a day.
There are also 25 Medicross vaccination sites able to bolster the national vaccination drive.
She completed her training at Groote Schuur hospital in 1988, and performed her first heart transplant when she was 33.
Netcare disassociates itself from anti-vaccination opinions expressed by heart surgeon
Jacques du Plessis, managing director of Netcare’s Hospital Division today expressed Netcare’s profound disappointment and disbelief in learning about the publication of a BitChute video on 10 August 2021, in which Dr Susan Vosloo expressed her personal anti-vaccination views regarding COVID-19.
“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.
“The video further contradicts the views and endeavours of the South African National Department of Health as well as those of global institutions such as the World Health Organization. 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 says.
To date Netcare has vaccinated more than 110 000 people including 33 000 healthcare workers. We have three active vaccination sites, each of which are capable of delivering 5 000 vaccine doses per day. In addition, we have 25 Medicross vaccination sites that are about to further bolster the national vaccination rollout.
“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,” concludes Du Plessis
Mboma Mboma 
Mseveni