Gillion Mashego is sued R7bn for hospital negligence

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This is almost half his department’s R13.3bn budget.


Mpumalanga health MEC Gillion Mashego’s department is being taken to court to account for hospital negligence.

He is being sued R7.6 billion in hospital medical negligence.

Most of these cases involve children, who got brain-damaged during the process of birth – allegedly because of the conduct of negligent hospital staff.

This information was presented to Parliament this week.

Parliament’s health committee has asked provincial health departments to come report on the state of their hospital services.

Mpumalanga’s head of health Savera Mohangi told Parliament that the province currently faces 158 legal claims relating to childbirths and the women giving birth.

“A single claim can cost between R12m and R40m,” she said.

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Mpumalanga also run short of orthopedic specialists and a large number of claimants are in court for orthopedic damages.

Mohangi told Parliament that the challenges they faced with shortage of staff and ambulances had led to deterioration in the emergency response time.

Mohangi spoke to MPs on Tuesday this week.

Meanwhile, the DA has written to Premier Refilwe Mtsweni asking her to intervene in the issue of the closure of the Siyabuswa clinic in KwaNdebele due to staff shortages.

(edited by ZK)

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