Help the patients of Evuxakeni to find their families

GIYANI – DURING a visit to Evuxakeni Psychiatric Hospital in Giyani between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, communications minister, Faith Muthambi appealed for help to identify the families of many intellectually challenged patients at the hospital.

Muthambi visited the hospital to celebrate the festive season with patients who were unable to go home.

According to Muthambi, many of the patients whose relatives could not be traced were from Mpumalanga.

“Some patients have been here for more than 20 years and the hospital has been unable to find their relatives,” she said.

“We need assistance from the media to find their families,” she added.

Muthambi’s visit followed her commitment to adopt the hospital, after a previous visit that took place in July last year.

Her aim was to improve the hospital’s aging infrastructure.

Her office and the hospital’s management developed an action plan to ensure speedy progress. “I hate it when people tell me there is progress without actually seeing it. I want to see something happening as soon as possible before my office term expires,” she said.

Hospital CEO, Tinyiko Mavundza, welcomed Muthambi’s visit, and said this would give patients some hope, as well as the knowledge that they were loved. “Not all of our patients had the opportunity to go home for Christmas. The minister’s gifts will cheer them up and make them feel loved even without their families,” she said.

Anyone wishing to make enquiries about a family member who may be a patient, can contact the hospital at (015) 812 1138.