Negligence kills: 1,954 people died from 'adverse events' at Gauteng public hospitals in 2021

“Severe adverse events” (SAEs) led to the deaths of 1,954 patients in Gauteng public hospitals last year.

Of these, 1,015 were at the Kalafong Provincial Tertiary Hospital in Pretoria. 

This was revealed by Gauteng health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi in a written reply to questions in the Gauteng legislature from DA shadow health MPL Jack Bloom.

Severe adverse events lead to death through unintended harm rather than the condition or disease that brought the patient to hospital.

These deaths were among 6,910 SAEs recorded last year.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said internationally, medication errors are a leading cause of injury and avoidable harm in healthcare systems. Other complications arise from infections, unsafe surgical-care procedures, diagnostic errors, unsafe transfusion practices, radiation errors and sepsis. Venous thromboembolism (blood clots) is one of the most common and preventable causes of patient harm, contributing to one-third of complications attributed to hospitalisation, the WHO said.

Of nearly 7,000 events, there have only been 28 disciplinary cases, said Bloom on Tuesday.

Mokgethi said only 13 of these resulted in litigation and there were just 31 referrals for mediation.

“How can there be so few disciplinary cases in this matter?” asked Bloom.

He said Kalafong hospital compares in size to Helen Joseph and Thembisa hospitals, which had 587 and 626 SAEs respectively. These numbers are already “unacceptably” high, but still much lower than those in Kalafong.

The four large academic hospitals had the following SAEs:

• Chris Hani Baragwanath — 854;
• Dr George Mukhari — 453;
• Steve Biko — 330; and
• Charlotte Maxeke — 212 SAEs.

Other hospitals with high SAEs in relation to patient numbers include:

• Leratong — 395;
• Weskoppies — 367;
• Pholosong — 239;
• Sebokeng — 206;
• Mamelodi — 194;
• Edenvale — 157;
• Bertha Gxowa — 134;
• Jubilee — 122; and
• Bheki Mlangeni — 118.

Bloom said it was “horrifying” there had been so many deaths and injuries to patients “because of avoidable negligence”.

“This is why medical negligence claims continue to rocket, with courts awarding massive payouts.

“Hospitals should be only about healing, rather than places where patients are harmed.”

He said the Gauteng health department needed to drastically improve its hospital management “and ensure there are adequate and well-trained staff with proper equipment”.

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