Psych patient deaths: Chilling details revealed
Details have emerged about the horrific conditions that led to the deaths of 94 mentally-ill patients in Gauteng.
The patients died after they were moved from the Life Esidimeni Hospital - to various NGOs across the province.
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Health Ombudsman, Malegapuru Makgoba, released a damning report in Pretoria today.
Makgoba warned that the death toll could still rise - as family members come forward. He says other agencies - such as police - are still investigating the matter.
The 27 NGO's where the 1371 patients were sent to after Life Esidimeni's closure - were found to be operating without the proper licences, training, and material.
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"It's remarkable that only one person has died from a mental health related illness. None of the 93 have died from a mental illness - they've died from other things, like dehydration, epilepsy, heart attacks, diarrhoea - all other things except mental illness," Makgoba said.
He's warned that any other patients still kept at those centres must be removed as soon as possible - adding that health practitioners have a responsibility to protect lives, but in this instance - they failed, terribly.