Shocking treatment of psychiatric patients at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital

18 October 2023

The Democratic Alliance is appalled by the report today that 30 psychiatric patients are kept in poor conditions in an emergency ward at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital.

According to a quoted source, these patients “are being kept like animals.” They do not have privacy or direct access to toilets, relieving themselves on the floor or in a bottle as security escort them to toilets only once or twice a day.

Safety is an issue as a patient has attacked a nurse in this ward.

It is utterly shameful that this is happening at our flagship hospital in our province.

I will be pressing the Gauteng Health Department to take urgent measures to provide decent facilities and treatment for these patients.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, 18 October 2023