Esidimeni recommendation date missed – patients still at risk
The Gauteng Department of Health has been called on to give reasons for the delay.
Even after the Health Ombudsman released his report on the over 100 deaths of Life Esidimeni psychiatric patients, patients are still in danger of dying, according to Jack Bloom, the DA Shadow MEC for Health.
It was recommended that all remaining patients from Life Esidimeni still housed in unlawful non-governmental organisations be moved and placed in appropriate institutions as a matter of urgency.
The Health Ombud, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, stated that his recommendation should be implemented within 45 days to reduce risk and sustain life. The deadline he set was 17 March – but as Bloom recently said, “T]he majority of Esidimeni patients, perhaps as many as 500 patients, are still housed by these NGOs”.
“I acknowledge the difficulty of finding alternative suitable facilities and the need to move with due care in order to not repeat the previous failures, but we need to be kept up to date with the transfers,” he said.
Bloom has since called on the Gauteng Health Department to disclose the full reasons for the delay and compile a timetable for the transfers to be concluded as soon as possible.
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