Helen Joseph Hospital shows increase in mental health patients

Gauteng MEC of Health Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi said Helen Joseph Hospital had seen an increase in mental healthcare patients.

This comment came as a response to a legislature question posed to her. In a statement, Mokgethi explained that these patients were from outside the hospital’s feeder area. By January this year, the hospital had about 876 patients at the emergency department opposed to the 80 patients it had in January last year.

In wards two and three, 1 395 people were treated by January 2022 compared to the 620 in 2021. The outpatient department treated 520 patients by January this year compared to the 244 of the same month the previous year.

The statement stated the increase in admissions could be attributed to poor socio-economic circumstances aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Also, other factors were the large scale use of illegal substances and the unwillingness of some families to take back members with mental health illnesses upon discharge.

The closing of Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital was said to have also contributed to the increase in patients.

An array of measures have been introduced at Helen Joseph to ensure the provision of care for the growing number of mental health patients. These include the increase of bed capacity as well as repurposing a temporary structure to house more patients.

Mokgethi also pleaded with families who refused to take back their loved ones with mental health illnesses to work with the government and welcome their family members with care after being discharged from the hospital.

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