Scores of psychiatric patients still to be moved

More than 200 psychiatric patients remain in the care of unlicensed nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), says Gauteng health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa.

On Thursday, she said 529 patients had been moved to Selby Clinix and Life Baneng Care Centre, while 210 had yet to be transferred to safe institutions.

The provincial health department has until the end of April to move the patients, in accordance with an extension granted by health ombudsman Malegapuru Makgoba.

Makgoba investigated the circumstances surrounding the placement of more than 1,000 psychiatric patients into the care of NGOs after at least 100 of them died in the unlicensed facilities because they did not receive adequate care.

He released a report in which he detailed how the patients died in appalling conditions and how health officials had effected the transfer of the patients in a haphazard manner.

The department had 45 days to implement his recommendations but was later given more time to move patients. The department has closed down five of the 27 NGOs at which the patients were placed.

“We have, over the past 79 days, been working very closely with the office of the minister of health, the premier of Gauteng and the families in the transfer of … patients to suitable facilities,” Ramokgopa said.

John Stephens, senior legal researcher at Section27 which represents some of the bereaved, said the families were in discussions about the alternative dispute resolution indicated in the ombudsman’s report.

The disciplinary hearing of Gauteng health head of department Barney Selebano, who was placed on precautionary suspension after being named in the report, has yet to take place. Other officials implicated in the report were issued with notices of intention to suspend.