Reports of incidents similar to Esidimeni tragedy worrying: SAHRC
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) says it has received complaints from others provinces that are similar to the Esidimeni tragedy.
The commission is investigating whether the rights of the 94 mentally ill patients were violated.
The patients died after being transferred by the Gauteng Health Department from the Life Esidimeni facility to unlicensed NGOs around the province.
SAHRC spokesperson Gushwell Brookes says the commission has been made aware of other incidents of alleged negligence at health facilities around the country.
"We have come across other incidents that have a similar tone to it as Esidimeni - which involves healthcare, vulnerable people, and the institutionalization - so we have to look at that," says Brookes.
Brookes says the reports are worrying.
"The point that we have to make is if an incident like this occurred in a well-resourced province like Gauteng with the 94 Esidimeni deaths, imagine what's happening in other provinces with fewer resources," says Brookes.