Commission to probe horrors at hospitals

• Complaints tell of neglect and abuse of patients

The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has launched an investigation into alleged abuse and neglect of patients at dozens of state hospitals, described in harrowing detail in a report released by the Freedom Front Plus on Wednesday. “We are assessing the issues that fall within the ambit of the SAHRC and looking at the relief sought. The investigation is under way,” SAHRC Gauteng manager Zamantungwa Mbeki said.

The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has launched an investigation into alleged abuse and neglect of patients at dozens of state hospitals, described in harrowing detail in a report released by the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) on Wednesday.

The FF+ submitted the report to the commission’s Gauteng office in October.

“It details various allegations, some within the ambit of the SAHRC and others within the ambit of other entities. We are assessing the issues that fall within the ambit of the SAHRC and looking at the relief sought. The investigation is under way,” said SAHRC Gauteng provincial manager Zamantungwa Mbeki.

The report was compiled from 273 complaints received by the FF+ in response to its call for patients to provide it with details of poor treatment at public health facilities. Patients complained about 93 public hospitals and three private hospitals in all nine provinces. They painted a picture of horrifying neglect and abuse meted out to vulnerable patients by overwhelmed staff working in filthy, ill-equipped and underresourced facilities.

“There are several integrating issues identified in this complaint. And those will need to be broken up and individually assessed as some do not fall within the ambit of the SAHRC. We are structuring the investigation accordingly,” Mbeki said.

The FF+ said this week that conditions exposed by patients were proof the government’s National Health Insurance (NHI) plans were doomed to fail.

The ANC is expected to use its majority in the National Council of Provinces to pass the NHI bill next week. It will then be sent to the president for assent.

The bill lays the legislative foundation for NHI, the government’s policy for universal health coverage, which aims to provide healthcare free at the point of delivery. A central NHI fund will purchase healthcare services from accredited public and private providers. But exactly what benefits it will provide and how it will be financed have yet to be determined.

DA shadow health minister Michele Clark said the ANC government’s push for NHI spelt disaster for the public and private healthcare sectors. “One only has to look at the current state of public healthcare in the country to predict the coming decimation,” she said.

“President Cyril Ramaphosa’s term has been marked by ineptitude, cadre deployment and protection of the politically connected. He has not shown an ounce of care to the people of SA

— the Ramaphoria of his early months of governance (is) nothing but a fading memory. But he has the opportunity to do one good thing before he’s voted out in 2024 … do not sign the NHI bill,” she said.