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At least 94 psychiatric
patients died of negligence in South Africa last year
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[February 02, 2017]
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - At least 94
psychiatric patients died of negligence in South Africa last year after
they were moved from a licensed home to unregistered facilities, the
health ombudsman said on Wednesday, sparking public outrage.
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 About 1,300 psychiatric patients were moved from a unit of the Life
Healthcare Group to charities during last year in a cost-cutting bid
by the health department in Gauteng province, the commercial hub
where Johannesburg and Pretoria are located.
The ombudsman said that all 27 facilities to which the patients were
transferred operated under invalid licenses.
Experts say mental health care takes the backseat in funding and
public hospitals do not have enough equipment or staff.
"The decision was unwise and flawed, with inadequate planning and a
chaotic and rushed or hurried implementation process," Professor
Malegapuru Makgoba said in his report.
The main opposition Democratic Alliance party criticized Gauteng's
provincial government over the scandal, while several horrified
callers to radio shows and on social media demanded an overhaul of
the health department in the country.
Makgoba said the death toll was "a provisional number" and could
rise because more people were coming forward with information. He
said only one person died from a mental illness.
"It's remarkable that only one person has died from a mental
health-related illness," he told journalists. The other 93 "have
died from other things like dehydration, diarrhea, epilepsy, heart
attacks, all other things except mental illness".
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He recommended that the rest of the patients who had been moved to
the unlicensed facilities be transferred to hospitals.
The head of the provincial government health department, Qedani
Mahlangu, resigned a day before the report was released.
In September, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi asked Makgoba to
investigate after 36 patients following their transfer from the
licensed home to various NGOs.
(Reporting by James Macharia; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
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