An investigation into the treatment, complications and deaths of psychiatric patients at the Northern Cape Mental Health Hospital (NCMHH) and the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital (RMSH) has uncovered alarming levels of systemic failure, gross negligence and widespread mismanagement – which all contributed directly to patient harm and in some cases death, according to Health Ombud Professor Taole Mokoena.
TimesLIVE reports that yesterday Moekena released the findings of a probe, initiated at the request of Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, into the deaths of two patients at the NCMHH and admission of two others to the RMSH in critical condition in July and August last year.
They were shocking, revealing a healthcare environment plagued by infrastructure collapse, including:
• prolonged power outages;
• leaking roofs;
• blocked sewerage systems; and
• the absence of emergency equipment.
The conditions severely compromised patient care, resulting in unnecessary suffering and preventable fatalities, found the report.
Mokoena said the NCMHH exposed patients to severe cold during the absence of electricity after cable theft and vandalism of an Eskom substation.
“It is an indictment of the mental hospital that it took a year to repair the damaged electricity infrastructure – which the adjacent private hospital managed to repair within days,” he said.
The delay in restoring the electricity resulted from dysfunctional supply chain management processes within the provincial Department of Health, exposing patients and staff to extreme weather during the summer and winter.
Additionally, resuscitation equipment was inoperable as it could not be charged, and other vital equipment was also unavailable.
The NCMHH was also found to have procured poor quality and inadequate bedding and pyjamas.
“One patient died from hypothermia and another developed multilobar pneumonia; the third possibly developed intracranial coagulation and stroke from the extreme cold,” said Mokoena.
Both hospitals had major staff shortages, where junior health workers were left in charge of high acuity units. Mokoena said they failed to recognise the gravity of illness or complications of their patients – with fatal consequences.
Mokoena said the hospitals both lacked written protocols and standard operating procedures or guidelines on the management of patients to guide doctors and staff.
Mokoena recommended that the Health MEC in the Northern Cape, and the Head of the Northern Cape Health Department urgently address the staff shortage and launch a retention drive.
“They must appoint non-South Africans where there are no South Africans who qualify for those vacancies. Both hospitals must devise comprehensive standard operating procedures, guidelines and protocols to guide the health personnel on how to manage patients.”
The Ombud recommended that the National Department of Health should establish a forensic investigation of the whole provincial health supply chain management to determine and appropriately censure those responsible for:
• the procurement of poor-quality linen, blankets, pyjamas, inappropriate golf carts, inappropriate specialised hospital beds and superfluous furniture; and
• failure to secure service providers for the repair of the damage to the electricity infrastructure.
Motsoaledi welcomed the release of the investigation and said it was clear the hospitals have a management problem.
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