Families of 37 mentally ill patients ‘to share how their loved ones died’ at vigil

The families of the 37 mentally ill patients who lost their lives in the move after the Gauteng Department of Health terminated a contract with Life Healthcare Esidimeni are to hold a prayer vigil this week.

Section27 said the demonstration on Thursday will seek to hand over a memorandum to Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu‚ as well as give “concerned family members an opportunity to share their pain‚ grief and ongoing concerns as a way to help them cope with the tragedies”

“Various family members will be sharing their testimonies of how their loved ones died and the impact on them‚” the rights group said.

“Family members who currently still have loved ones in NGOs and are concerned about their treatment and wellbeing will also attend.”

Christine Nxumalo‚ whose sister died at Precious Angels NGO‚ said: “After my sister’s passing‚ I need the support and so do other family members who have lost their loved ones. We need to support one another through prayer because‚ the transition and passing of our loved ones was not peaceful.

“The rest of the country also needs to see what the department’s decision has done to so many families.”

At the end of September‚ Health Ombudsman Prof Malegapuru Makgoba had said he has begun investigations into the deaths of 36 psychiatric patients – another died subsequent to the announcement - at the behest of national Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.

The psychiatric patients were moved into 122 NGOs after the department cancelled its long-running contract with Life Healthcare Esidimeni‚ which looked after about 2 000 patients‚ in order to cut costs.

The move had been vocally opposed by the Demcoratic Alliance’s Jack Bloom‚ who said on Friday that the Tshepong Health Centre in Atteridgeville‚ which looks after 185 patients transferred from Life Healthcare Esidimeni‚ “relies on charities and relatives to assist in bringing food to feed them”.

“I am concerned that four patients have died this year at this centre which is struggling with funding as many of its patients cannot get disability grants as they do not have ID numbers‚ and the Gauteng Health Department has also not provided sufficient support‚” Bloom said.