‘Fire Qedani’
HEALTH OMBUDSMAN BLAMES THE DEPARTMENT FOR DEATHS OF MENTALLY ILL PATIENTS
GAUTENG health MEC Qedani Mahlangu must be fired.
This is the recommendation of health Ombudsman Professor Malegapuru Makgoba to Gauteng premier David Makhura after finding that the department bungled the moving of mentally ill patients from Life Esidimeni to several dodgy NGOs.
“The premier of the Gauteng province must, in light of the findings in this report, consider the suitability of MEC Qedani Dorothy Mahlangu to continue in her current role as MEC for health,” reads Makgoba’s recommendation in a draft report.
When Mahlangu revealed the deaths of 36 mentally ill patients in September, Makgoba found that 71 patients had died.
Makgoba found that 96.1% of the deaths occurred at the NGOs where the mentally ill patients were transferred from Life Esidimeni Hospital in Randfontein, on the West Rand.
The Gauteng health department could only account for 48 of the deaths, Makgoba found.
“These differing numbers are symptomatic and pathognomonic of an institution with poor data integrity [lack of accuracy and consistency] and lack of reliable and quality information systems found during the investigation,” reads Makgoba’s report.
Makgoba has now accepted the number of the dead provided by Mahlangu.
The investigation, ordered by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, also found that the high-level decision to terminate Life Esidimeni’s contract and send patients to incompetent NGOs was “precipitously taken”.
“The decision was unwise and flawed, with inadequate planning and a chaotic and ‘rushed or hurried’ implementation process,” reads the report.
The people who Makgoba said all died silently in 14 of the 27 NGOs and three hospitals contracted by the department, including Precious Angels, CCRC/Siyabadinga/ Anchor, Mosego/Takalani, Tshepong and Hephzibah.
“The NGOs where the majority of patients died had neither the basic competence and experience, the leadership/managerial capacity nor ‘fitness for purpose’ and were often poorly resourced,” Makgoba found.
Makgoba found that there was prima facie evidence of human rights violations by certain officials, certain NGOs and some activities including disregarding the constitution, National Health Act and the Mental Health Care Act.
Mahlangu’s spokesman Steve Mabona referred enquiries to Makhura’s office.
Makhura’s spokeswoman Phumla Sekhonyane said the premier would consider Makgoba’s recommendations after receiving the report upon its release.
Makgoba is expected to release the report tomorrow in Tshwane after presenting his findings and recommendations to complainants and respondents.
At the time Mahlangu’s department moved the patients she said it had spent R323-million on Life Esidimeni for the treatment of nearly 2 400 patients in 2014/2015 and that the government could not afford this.