DA barred from visiting psychiatric patients at Lenasia South Hospital

8 February 2017

I was barred yesterday, 7 February 2017, from inspecting the facilities at the Lenasia South Hospital where 34 psychiatric patients were recently transferred from an unlicensed NGO.

The Sub-district Manager, Ms Zay Suliman, told me and local DA Ward councillor, Vinay Choonie, that her instructions from the National Health Department and the Premier's Office were that no outsiders, including politicians, were to visit without permission from the MEC for Health.

I tried to contact the MEC's office but was not able to get through.

It is most unfortunate that my right and duty of oversight was violated on the burning issue of psychiatric patient care where there has been so much abuse.

Why is there still secrecy in this matter and why am I still barred from a public health facility despite the fact that my right to unannounced visits has been repeatedly endorsed by the Gauteng Legislature?

This is also in violation of the new Legislature standing rules that guarantee access to MPLs to provincial government facilities to exercise oversight.

I did manage to establish that 34 male patients from the Rebafenyi NGO in Hennops River in north Gauteng were transferred to the Lenasia South Hospital on Friday evening on 27 January this year.

They are stable patients who were placed four per room in a ward staffed by one professional nurse and four enrolled nurses per shift. Professor of Psychiatry Yusuf Moosa visits once a week.

The windows are barred and there are two security guards.

I was told that the relatives had been informed and could visit during the regular visiting hours.

I would like to think that the 34 patients are receiving decent care, but I cannot establish this without seeing the actual facilities and talking to the ordinary staff.

Health Ombudsman Professor Malegapuru has noted that the 94 deaths were "silent" because nobody was there to witness their pain and help them.

If there is nothing to hide, why was I barred?

The DA will take up this issue with the Speaker of the Gauteng Legislature to ensure that access is never denied to public representatives exercising their right to oversight in the public interest

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, 8 February 2017