US EditionNorthern Cape Mental Health Patients ‘Freezing to Death’ Amid Year-Long Power Outage
NORTHERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA, JUL 30 – The Health Ombud revealed severe infrastructure failures, staff shortages, and mismanagement led to preventable deaths and poor care at two Northern Cape hospitals operating at 53% capacity.
- Releasing his investigative report, Professor Taole Mokoena found two patients at NCMHH died from exposure to extreme cold between July and August 2024.
- Faced with vandalism of its power substation, the Northern Cape Mental Health Hospital has relied on a single generator since October 2022, which could not power large parts of the facility.
- Operating at 53% capacity, nurses at NCMHH resorted to cellphone torches as emergency resuscitation equipment and medications were unavailable.
- Upon receiving the report, the Northern Cape Department of Health acknowledged receipt and pledged to ensure the highest standards of patient care and safety.
- Recommending reforms, Mokoena called for a forensic investigation into procurement processes and urgent staff recruitment at Northern Cape Mental Health Hospital and Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital.
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Health ombud findings on deaths, treatment of psychiatric patients in Northern Cape
Health ombud Taole Mokoena is on Tuesday releasing the findings of an investigation into the treatment, complications and deaths of psychiatric patients at the Northern Cape Mental Health Hospital and the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital.
·Johannesburg, South Africa
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