Another Life Esidemini death confirmed
13 March 2017
Johannesburg - The Gauteng Department of Health confirmed on Monday that another Life Esidimeni patient had died.
The man, who was suffering from diabetes related complications, died in the Kalafong Hospital in Pretoria on Friday, spokesperson Vuyo Sabani said.
"We can’t reveal any information of the patient, because we still need to locate his family," he said.
He had been in hospital since February 20.
Previously, the department said it would cost R6m to transfer more than 700 surviving Life Esidimeni patients out of unlicensed NGOs.
A total of R495 was being spent per patient per day on three meals, washing and cleaning services, and medication, she told reporters in Johannesburg.
They were being moved to the Life Esidimeni and Clinix Solomon Moreno Hospital, formally Clinix Selby Park hospital.
Twenty of the 22 unlicensed NGOs, to which the mentally ill patients were originally transferred from Life Esidimeni, were still open.
Ninety-four mentally ill patients died after they were transferred from Life Esidimeni to various NGOs last year, because the department wanted to save money.
More than 63 patients had already been transferred to licensed facilities.
