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The deaths of 141 mental health patients occurred when they were moved to unlicensed, ill-equipped NGOs (Photo by Alet Pretorius/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
AFRIFORUM

We had no control over rushed and haphazard transfer of Life Esidimeni patients, former director tells inquest

Worried and distraught patients were deeply shaken by the decision to move them to other facilities

  • Chris Gilili
3 min read
Hundreds of South African members of the non-governmental organisation Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) protest outside the Life Esidimeni arbitration public hearing on January 22, 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa. At least 143 mentally ill patients died after South African authorities moved them in 2016 from hospital to unlicensed health facilities that were compared to “concentration camps”, a government investigation revealed on January 17, 2018. Many of the deaths were due to pneumonia, dehydration and diarrhoea, as the patients were hurriedly shifted to 27 “poorly-prepared” facilities in an apparent cost-cutting measure that showed evidence of neglect. / AFP PHOTO / GIANLUIGI GUERCIA (Photo credit should read GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP via Getty Images)
ADILA HASSIM

Poor government decisions caused Life Esidimeni deaths, inquest hears

Health officials pushed ahead with transferring patients to ill-equipped NGO facilities despite several warnings

  • Chris Gilili
  • Charma du Plessis
3 min read
The deaths of 141 mental health patients occurred when they were moved to unlicensed, ill-equipped NGOs (Photo by Alet Pretorius/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
ADVOCACY PROJECT

An inquest into the Life Esidimeni tragedy will start in July

A memorial portal has been launched to help to families of those who have mental illnesses

  • Chris Gilili
4 min read