Another mental patient dies in a Gauteng hospital

6 June 2018

I am horrified and saddened by the death of a 38-year-old mentally ill patient who fell to his death at the Thelle Mogoerane Hospital in Vosloorus on Monday this week.

It seems that he broke burglar bars in the smoking area on the ground floor and ultimately fell to the lower ground level.

This tragic incident follows avoidable deaths and injuries of mental health patients at the South Rand, Bheki Mlangeni and Tembisa hospitals in Gauteng.

I have warned repeatedly about inadequate facilities for psychiatric patients in Gauteng hospitals.

There is a general shortage of beds in psychiatric wards, which means that patients are often put in ordinary wards with inadequate security.

A full investigation must be made into this latest incident, as well as the suitability of facilities for mental patients in all Gauteng hospitals.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 6 June 2018