By Dave Andrusko
Imagine what must have raced through Dr. Jacques De Vos mind. Here he was, in 2017, a week away from finishing his medical training and what did the Health Professions Council of South Africa do? It suspended him and later charged him with unprofessional conduct. In 2020 the charges were dropped but De Vos remained suspended until the suspension was dropped last week.
What prompted the charge of unprofessional conduct? Allegedly, for trying to dissuade a female patient from aborting her unborn baby at 19 weeks of pregnancy by telling her that her “fetus was a human being.”
“He is relieved, very happy that he can proceed,” said his lawyer, Martus de Wet. “Also a huge part of his life has been wasted, he is in a wheelchair, severely disabled. It is very frustrating.”
According to the Cape Argus newspaper, MP Marie Sukers, a politician with the African Christian Democratic Party [ACDP), said she hopes the council will apologize to De Vos and compensate him for the five years of work that he lost.
“This is a massive victory in the battle for the sanctity of human life. It is also a major step in the right direction to guarantee the unborn child the reasonable protection that it deserves,” Sukers said. “He can once again make a crucial difference in the lives of our people, especially in that of the unborn.”
Back in 2019, The ACDP published this strong defense.
“The ACDP believes in the sanctity of human life, and we look forward to a time when the life of an unborn child will be given the reasonable protection it deserves. Dr de Vos is to us an indication that the time for that is not far off. His statement, which has landed him in hot water with the HPCSA and 2 Military Hospital, shows that there are people who know that we cannot value human rights without valuing human life.
“Our hope is that a greater appreciation and respect for women and for life will take root in our cultural perspective without violating freedom of choice or freedom of belief…In our view, too many mothers who opt for abortion are doing so without the necessary information to make an informed decision.
“The ACDP stands in solidarity with Dr De Vos. We wish him all the best and we pray that righteousness will prevail…”
ChristianView Network advocacy group head Philip Rosenthal said: “At our request, the HPCSA [Health Professions Council of South Africa ]agreed to review their policy that led to the unjust prosecution of De Vos and we look forward to this being changed.”
Dr. De Vos is a member of the international pro-life organization Doctors For Life International.