By: Natasha Archary
Democratic Alliance Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, Jack Bloom says the pregnant woman who hung herself at the Kopanong Hospital in Vereeniging, should have been admitted to a psychiatric ward.
Instead, the 7-month pregnant woman was placed in Ward 6 of the hospital and was not given the proper care that she required.
The woman who was brought to the hospital by her mother, was said to be displaying “abnormal behaviour” which the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) did not disclose due to doctor-patient confidentiality.
Due to her mental illness, the patient was prescribed sedation and restrained, but was then moved from the maternity ward to a side ward.
She was found in the early hours of Saturday morning, by nursing staff doing their rounds, hanging in the bathroom with her head scarf.
Bloom says incompetence and inadequate care is to blame for the 26-year old’s death by suicide.
“When I visited in 2016 they had yet to finish a psychiatric ward that was supposed to be completed in 2007. The situation now is that mentally ill patients are often placed in ordinary wards that were built for the Covid-19 pandemic that now stands empty without a use.
There needs to be a full enquiry into this tragic death which highlights the lack of proper facilities for mentally ill patients in our hospitals.
The DA will demand answers as to why psychiatric patients are still badly treated despite the Life Esidimeni tragedy where 144 patients died after being sent to unsuitable NGOs.”
The GDoH acknowledged that the unfortunate incident has been reported to the South African Police Service (SAPS), and an inquest docket has been opened.
The Department will be concluding an internal investigation, independent of the SAPS investigation which is expected to take not more than 60-days.
Also read: DA has again announced its provincial leader Solly Msimanga as Gauteng’s Premier candidate
