Report into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of mentally ill patients: Gauteng Province

The Health Ombud has released his Report into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of mentally ill patients: Gauteng Province. "The investigation was instituted when the Gauteng Department of Health terminatedits contract formally with Life Esidemeni (LE) Health Care Centre on 31 March 2016 and extended the contract for further months to 30 June 2016. An estimated 1371 chronic mentally ill patients were rapidly transferred to hospitals and 27 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) from 1 April to 30 June 2016 in Gauteng Province." The Ombud established that "A total of ninety-four (94+) and not thirty-six (36) mentally ill patients (as initially and commonly reported publicly in the media) died between 23 March 2016 and 19 December 2016 in Gauteng Province. This total number of 94 should be seen as a working and provisional number."