The seclusion section of the psychiatric ward at the Dr George Mukhadi hospital in Ga-Rankuwa north of Pretoria was closed on Tuesday due to unsafe and unhygienic conditions, the Health Department said.
Ministerial spokesperson Sibani Mngadi said the seclusion rooms had no toilets and the structure was also not in compliance with the Mental Health Act.
”Mentally unstable patients are usually locked up in these rooms overnight,” he said.
”But these rooms do not have toilets. In one room we actually found faeces on the floor because the patient was unable to get out to relieve himself.”
The windows were also unsafe for psychiatric patients, allowing them to break the panes and possibly injure themselves or escape.
Mngadi said the patients would be moved to the Weskoppies psychiatric hospital in Pretoria. The Dr George Mukhadi hospital is a general hospital, but has a psychiatric unit.
Meanwhile at provincial level, Gauteng health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa was scheduled to visit Dr George Mukhadi hospital on Tuesday night ”to see to it that action has been taken to correct the situation”.
”She will also insist on a full report from the hospital and senior management,” her office said.
It added that Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who paid the hospital a surprise visit on Tuesday as part of Mental Health month, had briefed Ramokgopa.
”The MEC feels that it is unacceptable that patients were kept in unsafe and unhygienic conditions. Psychiatric patients are the most vulnerable patients and must be treated with respect for their dignity and human rights.”
The national health ministry’s Mngadi said the hospital also needed general maintenance.
A tender to do the maintenance and upgrade the seclusion rooms was given to a contractor by the Department of Public Works, but he had failed to honour the contract.
Mngadi said the tender would now be cancelled and a new tender awarded.
”We will decide in conjunction with the public works department if steps are to be taken against the contractor. They [public works] awarded the tender so it will be their decision.”
Mngadi said Tshabalala-Msimang had decided to visit the hospital after the mental health unit of the department reported that conditions at the hospital were not satisfactory.
Tshabalala-Msimang said she wanted a report in a week’s time on progress with the new tender and maintenance work at the hospital. – Sapa