Beware the dopey docs

Thousands of doctors will from this week wear armbands to indicate how long a shift they have worked.

This, the South African Medical Doctors association says, will put the spotlight on the dangers of making doctors work excessively long hours.

This campaign comes just four months after a young Cape doctor died in a car crash after working a 24-hour shift.

Ilne Markwat apparently fell asleep at the wheel and the car she was driving veered o nto oncoming traffic on the N1 in Paarl.

The accident claimed the life of one other person.

Markwat worked in the obstetric unit of Paarl Hospital where interns last year complained to the Junior Doctors' Association of South Africa about overly long shifts.

Chairman of the Employed Doctors' committee and association spokesman Shailendra Sham said the association's 9000 members would be given three bands each - green, orange and red.

A green armband indicates the doctor has worked less than 24 consecutive hours , and is therefore still alert.

An orange one indicates the doctor has worked more than 24 hours but less than 30 hours and a red armband indicates the doctor has worked more than 30 consecutive hours.

A doctor with a red armband is a potential risk and should be allowed time to rest.

Sham said: ''There has been a positive response from doctors but there have been some concerns from the hospitals' management. All doctors will receive the armbands."

Mzukisi Grootboom, association chairman, said: "The armband campaign is a very important tool for us to assist the public identify those professionals who have gone beyond the reasonable hours they should."

Grootboom said the association is actively encouraging authorities to fill vacant posts, hire new people to new posts and ensure all specialities in hospitals are catered for.

''We cannot continue with a situation where doctors are putting in 10, 15 or even 20 hours extra a shift to the detriment of their patients, and their own health, while vacancies are not filled," he said.