Gauteng Health sued for R3.7bn

18 November 2013 - 02:05 By Sapa
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Charlotte Maxeke hospital on Google Maps
Charlotte Maxeke hospital on Google Maps
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The Gauteng health department faces R3.7-billion in legal claims, the DA said yesterday.

This was the figure given to the province's public accounts committee last week, DA MPL Jack Bloom said.

"The total is up from R2.7-billion in legal claims as at March 31 this year and R1.6-billion in the 2011-2012 financial year.

"Most of the claims are from 1002 medico-legal cases for which the claim total was R3.415-billion," he said.

There were also 326 civil claims amounting to R265-million, and 159 emergency services claims that totalled R9.7-million.

The Gauteng health department could not be reached for comment.

Bloom said the amount claimed was worrying because the department had lost all medical negligence court cases in the past three years.

"This tidal wave of claims highlights the urgency of raising the standard of health care so that medical mistakes are minimised.

"Quality management must be tightened up, especially in maternity wards because many claims are because of babies harmed at birth," he said.

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