Eastern Cape MEC for Health, Helen Sauls-August, said that she welcomed the investigation conducted by the National Health Ombudsman, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba at Tower Mental Hospital in the Province.
She said in a statement on Wednesday that the health ombudsman met with health management and hospital management of the Fort Beaufort Hospital this week as part of his investigation.
“The department fully supports the investigation and will co-operate with it,” Sauls-August said.
“This investigation is important for to the functioning, management of healthcare facilities, particularly those that provide healthcare services to the vulnerable groups. It is important that this investigation is done by an independent, competent person in the stature of the Health Ombudsman. Professor Makgopa has our full support,” the MEC said.
“We believe all those working in the health sector and those receiving our services are entitled to only the best quality at all times. We are committed to implementing all findings of the Ombudsman,” Sauls-August said.
The Eastern Cape Health Department said it would not comment nor release information relating to the Tower Hospital until the conclusion and the release of the findings by the National Health Ombudsman.
The probe by the Health Ombudsman followed a damning report by South African Society of Psychiatry in March which said it found instances of human rights abuses at Tower Hospital.
The Society, along with representatives from the SA Federation of Mental Health and the NGO Section 27, had visited the hospital following the resignation of a sessional psychiatrist, Dr. Kiran Sukeri, who had lodged complaints with SASOP.
SASOP said that some of the main findings post their visit, were that there were instances of abuse of patients’ rights and a failure to execute duty of care within the framework of the country's Constitution.
Sasop president, Professor Bernard Janse Van Rensburg, said in an earlier statement that "although hospital management identified difficulties in the smooth running of the institution no effective strategies were ever employed to address or solve those challenges."
He said on at least two occasions, the Eastern Cape Health Department had to intervene.
"Patient and death records, death notification, as well as the manner and capacity of secluding patients at this facility has been infringing on patients' human rights."
