Welcome to Doctors For Life

With the inception of the new democratic South Africa, a variety of rights were formally entrenched in the 1996 Constitution. These rights included among others the right to freedom of conscience, freedom of expression, and the right not to be unfairly discriminated against on the basis of religion, conscience and belief. However, provision was also made for reproductive rights and the Choice of Termination of Pregnancy Act which legalised and promoted an individual's right to abortion.

A conflict of interests arose within the medical profession, namely the right of health workers to refuse to participate in the abortion procedure versus that of a patient to have an abortion. Many doctors and nurses face intimidation and unfair discrimination when they attempt to opt out of an abortion procedure. Some even face unfair dismissal and job applications are declined due to their conscientious objection. A much publicised example of this is the case of “Theatre Sister Charles”. She was dismissed after she informed her superiors that she refuses to take part in an abortion procedure. Doctors for Life International (DFL) is currently assisting Sister Charles in a law suit against the hospital and the Department of Health in this regard.

The SA Law Reform Commission's proposal to legalise active euthanasia is another example of ethically contentious procedures entering into our health system. The inevitable result is the infringement of the fundamental rights of doctors and nurses who believe such procedures are unethical and morally wrong.

The controversy surrounding the constitutional provisions and how they should be applied as well as the overwhelming number of enquiries received, requesting legal advice, motivated DFL to host a conference which will equip health workers when dealing with these difficult issues. This conference will bring together local and international experts from various organisations and backgrounds. The speakers will include:

Contact DFL for further information, or visit our website for online bookings.

DFL's Workplace AIDS Project (WAP) is a project that attempts to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS on the economy of a country by promoting sound values amongst its workforce. DFL believes that the prevention of AIDS in the workplace rests in a return to cultural and universally–held religious principles that include abstinence and faithfulness. Knowledge of AIDS should be stored in a "basket of values" for it to be of any use in the prevention of HIV/AIDS in the Workplace.

How does it work? Workers’ knowledge, attitudes and sexual practises are challenged by co-workers called peer educators. A peer educator is a leader chosen by the workers themselves, who is then trained by DFL to assist in bringing about a change in values not only in the workplace but also at home. A two week training course allows the peer educators to embark on a journey of self discovery as they become confronted with the truth about AIDS. Faced with this reality and judging their own risk-category, hearing how they are perceived by fellow workers, having to surpass their long-held and self-imposed limitations in public speaking, battling through countless practical leadership exercises and ultimately provoked by the subtle but powerful force of peer pressure to embrace a new set of values personally, they can set out to change "The Valley".

The DFL WAP Trainers, Heinrich Botes and
Abraham Warren discussing the next lecture

During 2005 many SRCC workers were positively impacted by the DFL WAP project. Shebeens (informal liquor stores) were closed down and some workers apologised publicly for their previous irresponsible behaviour! A wonderful "spin-off" was that some workers turned to God in repentance. Dominant trade unions also reversed their stance on HIV testing and requested DFL to offer a Voluntary, Counselling and Testing (VCT) service at the various SRCC pack houses. International publications advocate VCT as one of the most powerful forces contributing to positive behaviour changes.

The positive results attained in 2005 motivated the SRCC management to strive towards "best practice" status and to take the DFL & SRCC partnership into its second year despite a lack of external funding. A new course was held in April 2006 where another 22 workers were equipped to be peer educators. Once again tears flowed as some of the workers disclosed their HIV status, many resolved to change their private and public lives, apologies were made to management for unhappy incidents in the past and happy reports of being re-united with their families was shared! One Peer Educator stated: "I not only discovered myself, re-united with my family, but ultimately, I met up with my Saviour, Jesus Christ".

Following the successes of previous WAP projects at Freegold in the Freestate and Eskom in the Western Cape, the demand for DFL's unique approach to AIDS prevention is steadily growing with invitations ranging from steel and oil companies in Kazakhstan to the South African Ports Authority in South Africa.

We would like to say a very big THANK YOU to all the organisations, churches and individuals that have given donations to Doctors For Life International. As a non-profit organisation, we are always grateful to receive donations of clothes, food, toys, money and other useful items. Nothing is too small.

Over the past few months we have received donations of food from Metro in Greytown, glyconutrients from Mannatech, children's clothing from the Dutch Reformed Church in Canada, blankets from Pep Stores, monetary and other donations from Time Square Church (USA), World Aid New York (WANY) and several individuals, to name only a few. All these items have enabled us to be more effective in the work that we do. In fact, we would not be able to survive without donations like these.

Supporters of DFL have gone to extraordinary lengths to raise funds or donations. In Holland a group of people held a teddy bear party, where each individual brought a bear to be donated to our orphans. Others have held cake bakes, pancake sales, garage sales and many other exciting activities just to make a difference in the lives of those that have very little.

Here are photo's of some of our orphans enjoying the donation of blankets which we received from PEP Stores. You can see the gratitude in their smiles. They will definitely be glad for these blankets during South Africa's cold winter nights.

If you would like to send Doctors For Life a donation - no matter how small - please contact Rachael Ogunlaja on rachael@dfl.org.za or phone +27 (0) 32 481 5550 or (mobile) +27 (0) 72 745 6547.

In 2005, Doctors for Life was nominated to join the executive board of the Kwazulu Natal (KZN) Substance Abuse Forum. Johan Claassen, our DFL representative, is the acting chairperson for 2006. The Central Drug Authority (CDA), a multi-sectoral coordinating body, was established to oversee the implementation of the National Drug Master Plan (NDMP) in South Africa. As part of ensuring an integrated approach to addressing substance abuse problems, the NDMP mandated almost all government departments to establish and participate in provincial drug forums. The KZN Forum was established in 1995.

Amongst other things the function of the Forum is to serve as a platform for communication between the CDA and provincial stake holders and to help implement and formulate the NDMP. Members of the forums include, NPO's, rehabilitation centres, government departments and companies that work against substance abuse.

If you would like to represent Doctors For Life International on your provincial forum, please contact us at mail@dfl.org.za.

As you may remember, we received a wonderful donation of a MAN All-Wheel-Drive Truck in 2003 from World Aid New York (WANY). Further good news came earlier this year when a European donor pledged a significant amount of money towards the mobile clinic. This clinic will be used on medical outreaches, such as the upcoming one to Angola which will take place during September/ October 2006. We plan on discussing the expansion of our work in that country with the local authorities with whom we've managed to establish good relationships over time.

TIME! We know, probably more scarce than money, but we would like to appeal to YOU! Please notify us if you are willing to do a 'clinic' at one of our orphan care centres. Most of these are in the KZN province of South Africa. These 'clinic' sessions usually last a day, but we can organise the event according to your availability. Please email johan@dfl.org.za for more details.

MYTH 9: "The "morning-after pill," RU486, and the IUD are not abortifacient; they are only methods of contraception."

FACT 9: The "morning-after pill," RU486, and the IUD can be abortifacient, if fertilization has taken place. Then they would act to prevent the implantation of an already existing human embryo--the blastocyst--which is an existing human being. If the developing human blastocyst is prevented from implanting into the uterus, then obviously the embryo dies. In effect, these chemical and mechanical methods of contraception have become methods of abortion as well. Quoting Moore: "The administration of relatively large doses of estrogens ("morning-after pill") for several days, beginning shortly after unprotected sexual intercourse, usually does not prevent fertilization but often prevents implantation of the blastocyst. Diethylstilbestrol, given daily in high dosage for 5-6 days, may also accelerate passage of the dividing zygote along the uterine tube… Normally, the endometrium progresses to the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle as the zygote forms, undergoes cleavage, and enters the uterus. The large amount of estrogen disturbs the normal balance between estrogen and progesterone that is necessary for preparation of the endometrium for implantation of the blastocyst. Postcon-ception administration of hormones to prevent implantation of the blastocyst is sometimes used in cases of sexual assault or leakage of a condom, but this treatment is contraindicated for routine contraceptive use. The "abortion pill" RU486 also destroys the conceptus by interrupting implantation because of interference with the hormonal environment of the implanting embryo... An intrauterine device (IUD) inserted into the uterus through the vagina and cervix usually interferes with implantation by causing a local inflammatory reaction. Some IUDs contain progesterone that is slowly released and interferes with the development of the endometrium so that implantation does not usually occur." And since the whole human blastocyst is the embryonic human being--not just the inner cell layer--the use of chemical abortifacients that act "only" on the outer trophoblast layer of the blastocyst, e.g., methotrexate, would be abortifacient as well.

MYTH 10: "Human embryo research, human cloning, stem cell research, and the formation of chimeras are acceptable kinds of research because until implantation or 14 days there is only a "pre-embryo", a "potential" human embryo or human being present. A real human embryo and a human being (child) do not actually begin unless and until the "pre-embryo" is implanted into the mother's uterus."

FACT 10: These claims are currently being made by bioethicists, research scientists, pharmaceutical companies, and other biotech research companies--even by some members of Congress. However, they too are "scientific" myths. Scientifically it is perfectly clear that there is no such thing as a "pre-embryo," as demonstrated in Fact 7. As demonstrated in the background material, the immediate product of fertilization is a human being, a human embryo, a human child--the zygote. This zygote is a newly existing, genetically unique, genetically male or female, individual human being--it is not a "potential" or a "possible" human being. And this developing human being is a human being, a human embryo, a human child whether or not it is implanted artificially into the womb of the mother. Fertilization and cloning are different processes, but the immediate products of these processes are the same. The immediate product of human cloning would also be a human being--just as in human fertilization. It is not a "pre-embryo" or a "potential" human embryo or human being. Stem cell research obtains its "stem cells" by essentially exploding or otherwise destroying and killing a newly existing human blastocyst who is, scientifically, an existing human being. The formation of chimeras, i.e., the fertilization of a gamete of one species (e.g., a human oocyte) with the gamete of another species (e.g., a monkey sperm) also results in an embryo that is "half-human." All of these types of research have been banned by most countries in the world. And all of these types of research are essentially human embryo research--for which the use of federal funds has been banned.

MYTH 11: "Certain early stages of the developing human embryo and fetus, e.g., during the formation of ancestral fish gills or tails, demonstrates that it is not yet a human being, but is only in the process of becoming one. It is simply "recapitulating" the historical evolution of all of the species."

FACT 11: This "scientific" myth is yet another version of the "potential," "possible," "pre-embryo" myths. It is an attempt to deny the early human embryo its real identity as a human being and its real existence. But quoting once again from O'Rahilly: "The theory that successive stages of individual development (ontogeny) correspond with ("recapitulate") successive adult ancestors in the line of evolutionary descent (phylogeny) became popular in the 19th century as the so-called biogenetic law. This theory of recapitulation, however, has had a "regrettable influence in the progress of embryology" (citing de Beer)...Furthermore, during its development an animal departs more and more from the form of other animals. Indeed, the early stages in the development of an animal are not like the adult stages of other forms, but resemble only the early stages of those animals." Hence, the developing human embryo or fetus is not a "fish" or a "frog," but is categorically a human being--as has been already demonstrated.

The question as to when a human person begins is a philosophical question--not a scientific question. I will not go into great detail here, but "personhood" begins when the human being begins--at fertilization. But since many of the current popular "personhood" claims in bioethics are also based on mythological science, it would be useful to just look very briefly at these philosophical (or sometimes, theological) arguments simply for scientific accuracy as well. Philosophically, virtually any claim for so-called "delayed personhood"--that is, "personhood" does not start until some point after fertilization--involves the theoretical disaster of accepting that the idea or concept of a mind/body split has any correlate in or reflects the real world. Historically this problem was simply the consequence of wrong-headed thinking about reality, and was/is totally indefensible. It was abandoned with great embarrassment after Plato's time (even by Plato himself in his Parmenides!), but unfortunately resurfaces from time to time, e.g., as with Descartes in his Meditations, and now again with contemporary bioethics. And as in the question of when a human being begins, if the science used to ground these philosophical "personhood" arguments is incorrect, the conclusions of these arguments (which are based on that incorrect science) are also incorrect and invalid.

Reproduced with Permission
Website copyright © 2000. (Lifeissues.net) Kochi , Japan Extract Part - Article copyrights held solely by author

The very first issue of 'Life Alerts' - a bi-weekly update on current ethical issues - was sent out at the beginning of June 2006.

The DFL office staff are constantly gleaning the news and media for information concerning the ethical and medical issues in which we are involved. We have gained so much information that we felt we had to share it with you.

Not only does it save you the tedious job of having to search for the material when needed, but we felt it was important that you were kept up to date on these matters.

The bi-weekly will be sent out by email. However, should you wish to receive a hard copy by fax or post, please let us know. A nominal fee will be charged which will cover the necessary costs involved.

In this book we have three groups of Jews that reflect the composition of God’s children today:

Firstly, there were those who stayed behind in Babylon and waited for others to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Once the walls were built, they were quite happy to go and stay in the city. Similarly there are many people who appreciate living within the structures of a Christian society. It allows freedom of speech, respects the value of human life and woman's rights, to mention but a few.

Secondly, there are those who were willing to answer Ezra's call and leave their families and the comforts of Babylon in order to go and repair the walls.

And finally, there was the last group. A very small group to whom Ezra, who had a personal passion for rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, belonged.

It is also interesting to note how many different types of people helped with the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. When there is great work to be done, God often calls for people with different skilIs, temperaments and abilities to work together. This probably poses one of the biggest challenges to God's people on the mission field and in organisations doing the Lord's work. We read here about priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers and temple slaves. Everybody had his or her little role to play.

This reminds one of the body of Christ that is made up of different members. It is so easy for the eye to criticise the rest of the body for not being able to see as it can, or for the brain to criticise the rest of the body for not being able to think as clearly as it can. What sometimes happens then, is that the eye goes its own way to do its own thing, because it is so difficult and frustrating to work with those who cannot see. Then it may still take hours of patient convincing before the others start listening and realising that the eye has a point. Sometimes they don't believe the eye at all. Consequently things go wrong. If the eye then decides to go it alone, it does not take long before it realises that it can do nothing without the rest of the body. It needs the others - the ears, the tongue and the hands, including the little toe.

To be part of the body of Christ calls for self denial and true humility. There are certain things that we simply cannot do on our own. Yes, we need people with a passion and a vision, but above all we need people who can work as one body to rebuild the walls.

May God grant us not only people who wait for the rebuilding of the walls and people who are willing to dirty their hands in helping to rebuild the walls; but also people with a personal passion, a fire in their bones, who can rebuild the walls of Jerusalem in our societies today.

The long-awaited update to the “AIDS Against the Family” video is now available!

Orison Pictures has just completed this 50-minute production targeting rural communities. It is presented in Zulu and the DVD includes subtitles in other languages. It includes real-life scenarios, medical animations, slides and illustrations explaining HIV/AIDS, its associated lifestyle, various STI's and the solution to the pandemic. It also covers topics such as ARV's, condoms and traditional healers.

A detailed HIV/AIDS booklet is included, providing additional information on each section of the video.

Order your copy of this invaluable tool by contacting Doctors for Life International now. The video is R120 and the DVD, R150 (excluding VAT & Postage).

We would like to invite you to our AGM to be held on 22 August at 19h00 at the Golder Associates Africa offices, Thandanani Park, Matuka Close, Halfway Gardens, Midrand. Kindly confirm your attendance no later that 18 August.