Official charged after death of 9 patients in burn unit
A TOP Gauteng Infrastructure department senior engineer has been charged with gross negligence and dereliction of duties following his alleged involvement in the deaths of nine patients at the Dr George Mukhari Hospital in Ga-Rankuwa, almost three years ago.
Charges against the official relate to the opening of the Burn Unit at the hospital despite concerns about poor ventilation, which allegedly endangered patients’ lives. This was revealed by the Gauteng Health MEC, Bandile Masuku, in his written reply to questions by the DA’s spokesperson on health, Jack Bloom, following the mysterious deaths of nine patients between November 2016 and January 2017.
Bloom asked for written replies in the Gauteng legislature after he apparently received a tip-off that the Dr George Mukhari Hospital senior managers had been warned that they should not open the new burn unit due to lack of proper ventilation.
The unit was, however, officially opened in November 2016 by the then Health MEC, Qedani Mahlangu, but closed two months later.
Masuku confirmed the deaths, but said the causes formed part of the forensic investigation set up by Premier David Makhura. “We view the matter as sub judice,” Masuku said.
However, he said that the causes of deaths were inhalation injuries, pneumonia and HIV-related illnesses.
He added that the hospital had conducted mortality and morbidity meetings to determine the causes of the deaths. According to Masuku, Makhura’s forensic investigation into the matter was still under way. He also said disciplinary action against the administrator – who is also a medical doctor – “was in progress, hence the forensic investigation”.
The hospital boss – whose name is being withheld pending the outcome of the forensic inquiry and disciplinary action – had allegedly failed to inform former Gauteng Health MEC Dr Gwen Ramokgopa that the patients had died.
He allegedly also claimed that clinicians raised concerns about the ventilation system after the opening.
On the case of another official said to be linked to the charges, Masuku maintained that the outcomes of the forensic investigation would determine the action to be taken against all officials involved, if found guilty.
Prior to Masuku’s confirmation, there were no reports about the deaths, either by the department of health or in the media. Bloom also bemoaned the secrecy around the deaths of the nine patients, saying it was a cover-up to avoid the same publicity given to the Life Esidimeni case deaths.
“Medical experts allegedly warned that patients would die because of inadequate ventilation in the unit, yet certain officials insisted that the opening go-ahead,” Bloom said.