Gauteng SOPA: Five statements by Makhura on Esidimeni
Updated | By JacarandaFM News
In his State of the Province address, Premier David Makhura, spoke extensively about the deaths from the transfer of psychiatric patients from Life Esidimeni to various NGOs in the province . Here are 5 things he said about the tragedy:
1. The decision taken by the Gauteng department of health to transfer the patients to different NGOs and end the contract with Life Esidimeni was done without consultation with the Provincial executive council.
2. He said would have never approved a plan to outsource mental health.
"The Executive Council and I would have never approved a plan to outsource mental health, a primary responsibility of the state to care for the vulnerable in society, to NGOs. What is even worse is the fact that such NGOs didn’t meet appropriate standards and legal prescripts”
3. The Gauteng Health Department reported it had enough beds in public health facilities that could accommodate public patients from private health facilities, such as Life Esidimeni, due to the new hospitals and community health centers that were built.
4. He said the Life Esidimeni tragedy must spur government into action over the next two years to restore the dignity and human rights of mental health patients and all vulnerable groups.
"I am determined to lead this mission over the next two years of my term of office as the Premier of this province. I will appoint the Premier’s Mental Health Advisory Panel to assist in this mission."
5.The Provincial government has decided to take a fresh look at the state of public health in Gauteng.
"We know that whatever good work done by tens of thousands of dedicated professionals and public healthcare workers has a suffered a huge blow due to the horrific and inhumane treatment meted out to mental health patients. We have a responsibility to work with all health officials and healthcare workers to win back public confidence. We can’t afford platitudes and claim that the system is working when it has failed the most vulnerable members of our society. I have directed the Health MEC, Dr Gwen Ramokgopa, to put in place priorities on how we are going to inspire all the good men and women in our public health system to rise to occasion and provide quality healthcare in accordance with the oath they took when they qualified as professionals. Further announcements will be made by MEC Ramokgopa in the course of this week."
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