GAUTENG HEALTH DEPT FACES R1.4 BN MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE CLAIMS

The Gauteng Health Department faces R1.436 billion in medical negligence claims. This shocking figure is revealed in the Department's 2011/12 Annual Report that was recently tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.

This figure is up from the R876 million medico-legal claims the previous year. The giant increase in negligence claims highlights the deteriorating treatment in Gauteng state hospitals.

It's of great concern as the Gauteng Health Department has lost all its medical negligence cases in the courts in the past two years.

So far this year, five negligence pay-outs have been made totalling R44 million, and there are more multi-million payments in the pipe-line.

The claims show the vast tragedy of patients who have been permanently maimed or have died because of poor hospital treatment.

Every effort must be made to ensure that quality treatment is the norm in our hospitals.

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Health Spokesman, October 17 2012

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