LISTING Aids as the cause of death on public death certificates would not in any way improve the collection of statistics on HIV-related deaths, the Aids Law Project (ALP) said yesterday.
It expressed concern at the confusion and misinformation being generated in the reporting of the Health Professions Council’s (HPCSA) disciplinary action against Bloemfontein pathologist Dr Leon Wagner.
According to the media, he was charged with “recording Aids as the cause of death on a death certificate”.
The ALP pointed out that when a patient died, a doctor was required to complete a death notice which consisted of two pages.
The cause of death recorded on the first page should only be either “natural causes” or “unnatural causes”.
On the second page of the death notice, the doctor provided the immediate and underlying causes of death (such as HIV) and other relevant information.
“This is confidential and is sent to the Department of Home Affairs in a sealed envelope. It is not given to the family.”
The ALP said the Department of Home Affairs was thus able to collect statistics on causes of death – including HIV and Aids – without violating the deceased’s right to confidentiality.
