118 died following patient transfers

THERE WAS NO FOOD IN FACILITIES ‘I found overcrowding in those five NGOs. There were poor financial resources.’

At least 118 patients died either as a direct or indirect result of mentally ill patients being transferred from Life Healthcare Esidimeni to unlicensed nongovernmental organisations’ facilities in Gauteng, Health ombudsman Professor Malegapuru Makgoba said yesterday.

“All died within the control period, that is from the time I started my investigation on October 1, 2016 to February 1, 2017,” he said while testifying in arbitration hearings in Johannesburg that are being led by retired deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke.

Makgoba said 108 patients died as a direct result of the transfers, meaning they died of starvation or dehydration after being transferred from Life Esidimeni to 27 unlicensed NGOs.

Most of the patients died in five of the 27 NGOs, which Makgoba found to be poorly managed, with many having no food for them. “The things I found were overcrowding in those five NGOs. There were poor financial resources. More importantly there was no food,” he said.

Another 10 patients died when they were transferred from one of the 27 NGOs to another facility as the NGO was making room for Esidimeni patients.

Earlier during proceedings, Moseneke heard how mentally ill patients from Life Esidimeni were transported to the NGOs in bakkies and trucks to save costs.

Section 27 lawyer Adil Hassin said: “On June 30, 2016, mental care patients were loaded into trucks and bakkies and distributed to NGOs around Gauteng.”

Section 27 is representing 50 of the affected families.

In his final report, Makgoba recommended an alternative dispute resolution process be established to determine a way forward, such as mechanisms of redress and compensation. The report also recommended an unconditional apology be made to the families of the deceased patients and the surviving patients who were subjected to the trauma of being moved around.

The Gauteng health department has said the patients were moved to cut costs as they were spending R320 per patient per day as opposed to R112 at the NGOs.

The state is to call Makgoba, Gauteng premier David Makhura, Gauteng health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa and Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi as witnesses.

Hassin said the treatment patients and their families received would be best told by her clients, who are demanding compensation, the truth about what happened to their loved ones and an apology. Section 27 also intended to subpoena the former health MEC, Qedani Mahlangu. – ANA