Mentally ill patients refuse to be moved
Families, NGOs take legal action against transfer
Some families and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) are refusing that 67 mentally ill patients previously at Life Esidimeni be relocated to better qualified centres in Gauteng.
MEC Gwen Ramokgopa revealed this yesterday during a media briefing on the progress made since health ombudsman Professor Malegapuru Makgoba released his report into the scandal.
She said they had successfully transferred 750 patients since April 26 to three facilities in Gauteng: Clinix Selby Park, Baneng and Waverley Care Centre. The first relocations started in March, bringing the total number of transferred patients since the announcement of the ombudsman’s report in February to 91%. Of these, 63 were not part of Esidimeni.
More than 94 mentally ill patients died of a lack of care and negligence at various NGOs after the department moved them in 2015 to cut costs.
Ramokgopa, however, said, she was concerned that some families and NGOs had refused for people to be moved and took legal steps to that effect. The NGOs are Goitsi-Modimo, which has 15 patients, Masego (14), Anani Home (12), Hephzibah (11), Odirile (six), San Michel (four), Dolphin’s Acre and Bokang who have two patients each and Little Eden Home which has one.
“In some of the instances patients’ families signed refusal letters and in two cases, patients themselves refused to be moved. We have instituted legal steps … and will be working with the mental health review board to intervene decisively in the best interest of patients.”
“Many patients [refusing to move] changed their minds after seeing other patients who have been relocated to new facilities. From our point of view we will be looking at taking legal steps to overrule the families although we believe other dispute resolutions mechanisms can help.”
The department had set aside R6-million for the relocations and more than 20 NGOs that housed Esidimeni patients have since been closed.
Ramokgopa said disciplinary action against department head Dr Tieho Selebano and mental health director Dr Makgabo Manamela has been postponed until the completion of the appeals tribunal process under way. They have been suspended with pay.
Goitsi-Modimo centre manager Lizzy Modise said all the Esidimeni patients in her care in Fochville were taken by government officials some three weeks go. “My centre is empty. I don’t know anything about refusing patients to leave. I’m tired of this Esidimeni thing. Government officials have been coming here every day like I’ve done something wrong. I never lost a patient since 2010 when we opened this centre.”
An employee at Midrand’s Dolphin’s Acre said they only had one Esidimeni patient who was in hospital receiving treatment to his leg. The department is due to collect him. “We won’t keep any patient against their will or even make them sign forms,” said the employee.