Multimillion-rand negligence claims against the Department of Health have increased nine-fold since 2013, according to Stellenbosch University professor Ethelwynn Stellenberg. "Malpractice litigation will be the demise of health care and services," said Stellenberg speaking at the opening of the Africa Health conference. "We are just spending way to much money paying for something we should be getting right in the first place."
Health-e reports that according to Stellenberg, government's highest pay-out for medical negligence to date occurred in 2012 when government paid R24m to one person. She added that costly litigation could discourage young doctors from practicing for fear of being sued.
"Young people will steer away from medicine because they are afraid of being sued," added Stellenberg who was elected by Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to the board of the newly established Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) in February 2014.
The office recently acted on complaints regarding the Eastern Cape's Holy Cross Hospital and found that the facility failed to meet basic health standards. It also noted that equipment was poorly maintained and that some drugs in the pharmacy had expired.
[link url="http://www.health-e.org.za/2015/05/06/department-of-health-spending-millions-on-negligence-claims/"]Full Health-e report[/link]