‘Death of psychiatric patients was a violation of constitutional dispensation’ – open letter to Gauteng Health MEC

27 September 2016 - 10:34 By TMG Digital
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A group of civil society groups has described the Gauteng Health Department’s movement of psychiatric patients‚ which saw the deaths of 36‚ as a “reckless placement”.

They penned an open letter to Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu in which they said it was a “violation of our constitutional dispensation which commits to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society”.

The letter was signed by the Treatment Action Campaign‚ the South African Depression and Anxiety Group‚ the People's Health Movement-South Africa‚ Section 27‚ the Public Health Association of South Africa and the Junior Public Health Association of South Africa.

It follows in full:
“Firstly‚ we express our condolences to the families of these 36 human beings who have died.

“Secondly‚ we regard this tragedy was entirely preventable and unnecessary. There is plenty of evidence from other countries and from previous experiences in South Africa that the deinstitutionalisation of long-term psychiatric patients into the community cannot be done in an unplanned fashion‚ without risking harm to these patients and their families.

“Thirdly‚ it is a violation of our constitutional dispensation which commits to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society. In this case‚ our health system let down the former residents of the Life Esidimeni facilities abysmally.

“Fourthly‚ these deaths represent a violation of our country’s commitments under international human rights law. Having ratified both the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the International Covenant on Economic‚ Social and Cultural Rights‚ South Africa has committed legally to respecting‚ protecting and fulfilling the obligations laid out in these instruments.

“We therefore stand in solidarity with other organisations and institutions in the outrage expressed towards this tragedy. The health care system has failed these people and their families through reckless placement into NGO housing that appears to have been wholly inadequate.”

National Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said earlier this month that he had asked the Health Ombudsman to investigate the deaths‚ while the Democratic Alliance’s Jack Bloom‚ said: “She should resign or be fired by Premier David Makhura.”

“My view is that nearly all the 36 patients that have died in the last four months would probably still be alive if they were kept at Life Healthcare Esidimeni‚” Bloom added last week.

Bloom said he welcomed the probe‚ which “needs to be done speedily and professionally to ensure than no evidence is lost”‚ but insisted that Mahlangu was at fault.

“The ultimate blame falls on Mahlangu who failed to take sufficient steps to ensure the orderly transfer of patients to reputable NGOs.

She had‚ Bloom said‚ “persisted in cancelling the long-running contract with Life Healthcare earlier this year despite warnings that more time was needed to find suitable alternative facilities”.

“Her disclosure that patients were sent to NGOs without clinical files that included their medical histories shows how reckless these transfers were in putting patients at risk‚” he added.

“It was only after I asked an official question in the Gauteng Legislature that she revealed the bombshell news that 36 patients had died in the NGOs in a period of about four months.”

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