SIU uncovers R3bn in fraudulent medico-legal claims
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has revealed with the help of the Special Investigating Unit the department has saved over R3 billion in fraudulent medical malpractice claims.
The SIU is investigating allegations of corruption, fraud, and maladministration related to medico-legal claims made within public hospitals.
Motsoaledi said the provinces with the highest number of fraudulent claims include the Eastern Cape and Gauteng.
"We noticed several claims which were completely out of synch and made no sense at all, there were claims that were evidently fraudulent,
"For example, a claim was submitted in which the claimant demanded R70 million for a supposedly botched circumcision by a doctor in a hospital in Limpopo Province,
"On investigation of this claim, it was found out that no such circumcision was ever performed. It was also found that the patient was treated for a very serious genital infection, the hospital actually saved his life,
"The SIU was then called in to look into these very suspicious claims, in 2017, the SIU started their work by targeting provinces with the highest share of claims, these were in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape Provinces” said Motsoaledi.
KwaZulu-Natal alone had 2 440 medico-legal claims valued at over R29 billion.
The Eastern Cape had 2,500 medico-legal claims valued at R22.3 billion.
Free State had over 417 medico-legal claims valued at R4.9 billion.
Gauteng had 2 450 medico-legal claims valued at R24 billion.
Mpumalanga had 519 medico-legal claims to the value of R6.4 billion.
Limpopo had 1 600 medico-legal claims valued at R14 billion.
Northern Cape had just 114 medico-legal claims valued at R1.5 billion.
North West with 230 medico-legal claims to the value of R1.5 billion.
Western Cape had 409 medico-legal claims valued at R2.8 billion.
ALSO READ:
