Why is fishy NGO still treating psychiatric patients?

16 September 2016

I am extremely concerned that psychiatric patients are still being treated at the Precious Angels NGO where a number of patients died after being transferred there from Lifehealthcare Esidimeni earlier this year.

According to a report by Greg Nicolson in the Daily Maverick, there are 29 patients at a house run by Precious Angels in Danville.

It appears that 8 patients died while in the care of Precious Angels, including 50-year-old Virginia Machpelah, whose sister was only told ten days after her death that she had died.

According to an official reply to my questions in the Legislature earlier this year, 35 patients were transferred to Precious Angels.

Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu said earlier this week that patients had been relocated from the Precious Angels facility in Attridgeville, which is where Virginia Machpelah died.

But why are patients still at the other Precious Angels facility in Danville, where it appears there have also been deaths.

Precious Angels was only registered as an NGO in June this year shortly before receiving patients from Lifehealthcare Esidimeni.

This fishy NGO should be investigated as soon as possible.

The Gauteng Health Department needs to justify urgently why patients are still being treated by this NGO where so many patients have already died.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, 16 September 2016