The hospital came under fire for its decision to suspend the doctor.

The suspension was lifted on Friday after the meeting between Gauteng Health MEC Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi and the hospital management.

Mokgethi says the management team has agreed to work together to address issues raised in Dr De Maayer’s article.

“The department remains committed to tackling challenges within the Gauteng Health system, while continuing to render services to millions of patients annually.”

The South African Human Rights Commission is expected to visit the hospital on Friday.

“The hospital has its right to maintain discipline within the institutions,” says the commission’s chairperson Bongani Majola.

“However, the commission believes that the alleged transgression and the measures taken in this case should be weighed against the risk of the curtailment of access to health care for the children. It should also be borne in mind that the Constitution provides that a child’s best interests are of paramount importance in every matter concerning the child. It appears from media reports that the offending conduct sought to highlight the interests of the child.

“The commission wonders whether, from a number of options available to the hospital, the first response to the actions of Dr De Maayer should be the withdrawal, through the suspension, of critical health care services to the children, especially considering the nature of the conduct the hospital is concerned about.”

Source: Jacaranda FM