Tower Psychiatric Hospital report ‘papers over dysfunction’

The Rhodes University-based Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM) has punched holes into the report on an investigation into allegations of patient mismanagement and patient rights violations at the Eastern Cape’s Tower Psychiatric Hospital and rehabilitation centre, describing it as “damage control”.

The report released today by health ombudsman Malegapuru Makgoba, following an investigation into allegations of deaths of patients and human rights abuses at the facility, was sparked by claims made by former head of psychiatry Kiran Sukeri who has asserted that there were 90 deaths and poor conditions at the hospital over an eight-year period.

Employed at the rural Fort Beaufort hospital up until he resigned at the beginning of March, Sukeri became one of the first psychiatrists in South Africa to speak out against wrongdoings in mental health since 1994.

He qualified as a psychiatrist in 2006 and later completed his Phd in psychiatry in the Eastern Cape.

Coming out in support of Sukeri, PSAM director Jay Kruuse said he believed that the report sought to “place the primary blame for the dysfunction of the Tower mental facility at the whistle-blower Dr Sukeri’s door.

“When public servants speak out, they are met with criticism which creates a culture of fear and intimidation.

“After Dr Sukeri exposed the goings on at the hospital, there was a swift move to demolish the seclusion rooms and patients were offered good quality food. Is this not alarming?”

Kruuse said the report sought to “paper over cracks” in the Eastern Cape’s health system.

He said: “I am still battling to decipher the reasoning in the report as it leaves more questions than answers. It reveals in clear terms the systematic breakdown, the suffering and dysfunction endured at Tower for many years.

“I stand by Dr Sukeri’s view that this hospital is in a dysfunctional state and that the report confirms what he was saying all along.

“The fact that they are recommending an appointment of an administrator to take care of mental health in the province, illustrates that leadership and governance are in disarray.

“If a public servant commits misconduct, it leads to human rights abuse. How do they explain that one patient died mysteriously, another set himself on fire and death records went missing?”

Listed in the report among incidents to illustrate violations, was when in ward 7B a patient suffered burn wounds.

It said: “On duty was nursing auxiliary Kahlana. There were 30 patients in the ward. The patient has a history of self-harm.

“There was no presence of a professional nurse at the time of the incident. One professional nurse was responsible for wards 7A and 7B.

“The incident happened in one of the seclusion rooms. The seclusion was not prescribed by a medical officer or psychiatrist. He was put in seclusion by professional nurse Mr X Mtsila.

“When the quality assurance manager questioned the patient, he said he had wrapped a blanket around his legs and used a cigarrete lighter to set himself on fire.

“Nurse Kahlana discovered the patient at 3.30am. Mr Mtsila was charged and is to appear at a disciplinary hearing.

“The patient was not interviewed and was admitted at the Cecilia Makiwane hospital and is recovering from burn wounds.

“This incident depicts gross violations of patients and the scope of practice of professional nurses, as well as being compounded by the severe shortage of staff.”

– brians@citizen.co.za

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