Money motivated fatal moving of patients
HEALTH Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has described the removal of hundreds of mentally ill patients to NGO facilities as “a moment of madness” by the Gauteng provincial department of health.
Motsoaledi also told Parliament yesterday that the relocation was driven by money.
He said Gauteng officials and politicians responsible for this never told the national department there were no funds to keep the patients.
“Needless to say, we are deeply distressed and angered by the deaths of mentally ill patients who were transferred from Life Esidimeni mental health facility in Gauteng province,” said Motsoaledi.
“This constitutes one of the periods of darkness in the history of our country, but dare I say it was also a moment of madness in the provincial department of health,” he told MPs.
He said the national department was not aware of the plans, and discovered later the idea was to save money for the provincial department of health.
“That the idea behind the Gauteng health marathon project, as it came to be known, was to save money, adds another dimension to our disappointment and pain,” said Motsoaledi.
“I wish to put it on record that at no stage did it emerge, directly or indirectly, implicitly or explicitly, that the Department of Health nationally or in any province has run out of money to take care of mentally ill patients,” said Motsoaledi.
He said he had been angered by what happened and wanted justice for the families.
Criminal
Opposition parties also weighed in on the matter, calling for criminal prosecution against those found to be responsible.
Motsoaledi said the National Prosecuting Authority would handle the prosecutions once investigations had been concluded.
He said “no stone would be left untouched” in the investigations.
Wilmot James of the DA said the report by the health ombudsman was too late as more than 100 patients had already died.
He said President Jacob Zuma should appoint a commission of inquiry into the deaths.
Christopher Msimang of the IFP said the action of the provincial authorities was tantamount to murder.
Manzoor Shaik-Emam of the National Freedom Party said the health ombudsman’s report showed that the patients were sent to die in the NGO facilities.
The government has been under fire since health ombudsman Malegapuru Makgoba released his report earlier this month.
Cope MP Willie Madisha said the government had failed the families of the patients.