Report to offer families little comfort
THE findings in the health Ombudsman’s report on the deaths of psychiatric patients in Gauteng will bring their families little comfort. The report, which Sowetan has seen, states 71 patients had died since they were transferred to various nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) across Gauteng last year.
The department only accounted for 48, Ombudsman Professor Malegapuru Makgoba found.
In September, Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu announced 36 patients had died.
Boitumelo Mangena’s mother Rahab Mangena, 56, died at Takalani Home for the Mentally Handicapped in Diepkloof, Soweto, in June.
She was one of more than 2 000 patients who were transferred to NGOs after Mahlangu terminated the contract of Life Esidimeni Hospital in Randfontein on the West Rand, which had previously cared for these patients.
Mahlangu at the time argued the transfers were done to cut costs and the department could not afford to pay the institution to care for nearly 3 000 patients.
Boitumelo, the youngest of Mangena’s four children, said: “The parties involved must take full blame and responsibility for what they did. There were warnings to the department before these transfers were made, but they ignored them.”
Boitumelo, 23, of Marlboro, said her mother suffered from vascular dementia and had been admitted to Life Esidimeni in 2015.
“We were informed a day after she passed away about her death. We still do not know what the cause of death was,” Boitumelo said.
“We still have a lot of questions that are unanswered.
“We had hoped that we would be part of the process and be informed about this.”
While hundreds of patients were transferred, many were also sent back to their homes.
“During 2014/2015 financial year, the department spent about R323 712 000 on the said hospital for treatment of around 2 378 patients.”