A call for Esidimeni to re-open
LATEST: Call for former Life Healthcare Esidimeni to re-open after the recent deaths of nearly 100 psychiatric patients.
Suspension notices have been flying in the Gauteng Health Department after the recent deaths of nearly 100 psychiatric patients.
Barney Selebano, Head of the Gauteng Department of Health, was suspended recently and Makgabo Manamela, the Director of Mental Health, has been served with a notice of intention to suspend.
These are only two of the 11 senior officials mentioned in the Health Ombudsman’s report after the investigations of the deaths.
Jack Bloom, DA Shadow MEC for Health has welcomed the announcement of the actions handed down to these two officials.
“This is a necessary step in the disciplinary process and will open the way for the new top level appointments that will hopefully be more professional and ethical,” he explained.
Bloom also said Ernest Kenoshi, the acting Head of the Department, now faces the daunting task of restoring morale and establishing effective management.
While happy the matter is at last being dealt with, Bloom said the priority is to find places for all the psychiatric patients still at unlicensed non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as existing psychiatric hospitals are already over-crowded.
“The Department should request Life Healthcare Esidimeni to re-open its facilities in order to accommodate the large number of mental health patients,” he said.
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Also read:
Life Esidimeni update: ‘There is no way Makhura didn’t know’
Former Esidimeni nurse gives up home for disabled adults
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