SA’s Health Ombudsman Malegapuru Makgoba has confirmed claims by the DA that a psychiatric patient who was transferred to an NGO in Gauteng has died – bringing to 39 the number of patients who died after their relocation from Life Esidimeni, reports The Citizen.
DA MPL Jack Bloom said Julian Pieterson from Newclare in western Johannesburg died at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital where he had been transferred from the NGO. The report says speaking on Talk Radio 702 Makgoba confirmed that a patient had died. He, however, said the patient died at Tshwane District Hospital and not at the Steve Biko Academic hospital as earlier claimed by Bloom.
Makgoba also said he now had all the relevant information regarding his probe into the deaths of the 38 patients who died after they were transferred to various NGOs. He said he had interviewed as many as 74 people on the matter. Inspection of the 26 affected NGOs had been completed, added the health ombudsman. He said he had received a clinical report from a panel of eight experts.
According to the report, Bloom said Pieterson’s family had visited him at the NGO in Pretoria, where they described the conditions as “terrible”. He said the family told him there was no proper medication. They also complained the food was not enough.
Spokesperson for the Gauteng Department of Health, Steve Mabona, appealed for patience ahead of the completion of the Health Ombudsman investigation.
[link url="http://citizen.co.za/news/news-national/1373337/health-ombud-confirms-death-of-another-psychiatric-patient/"]The Citizen report[/link]