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DMO Profile: Gary Morris
DMO profile
Dr Gary Morris
Gary Morris is a general practitioner based in Scottburgh, KwaZulu-Natal. He has a diploma in tropical medicine, a master’s degree in family medicine and a BSc degree in diving medicine from Stellenbosch University. The effects of pressure on the body and its functions fascinate him.
When Gary first arrived at the casualty division of the local hospital about 15 years ago, he had noticed a DAN-SA sticker next to the phone. He was subsequently told, “You do not need to know about diving; if you get a diver with a problem, just phone DANSA; do not try anything yourself.” His location, together with the stories told by divers he met while working at the hospital, prickled his interest in scuba diving.
He has since started diving and loves the beauty, serenity and the diversity of life forms and the weightless feeling of the underwater world. Although he does not dive as regularly as he would like to, Aliwal Shoal remains his favourite place to dive. Nowadays, he conducts diving medical exams for recreational and commercial divers at his practice. He sees and treats local and visiting divers who pick up medical problems whilst diving in Aliwal Shoal.
In addition, he has been a DAN-SA hotline doctor for several years and enjoys the challenge of the hotline in assisting divers, instructors and dive charter owners with problems. He thrives on the interaction with divers via the hotline – hearing what they have been up to, where they have been
and what they are planning. Through this contact with people at dive sites throughout South Africa, the rest of Africa and even the world, he gets the pleasure of experiencing these places, almost as if he were travelling there too.
Delighted with the stimulation of working with an enthusiastic, expert team of doctors, paramedics and support staff members at DAN-SA, he is glad to form part of this great team and organisation.
