November 29, 2012Collateral DamageProduced byAmos Phago
Special Assignment focuses on the extent of negligence in the public healthcare system and the cost to the taxpayer. Litigation cases against the Gauteng Health department are on the increase, costing the government millions of rand. So far, the department says it has paid about R52 million over the past two years in litigation cases involving negligence by health professionals at public hospitals.But the total amount lost could be much higher, with the health portfolio committee at the provincial legislature also having revealed that the department is facing litigation claims worth R800 million. Even though these claims are still under investigation, the committee has expressed concern that the money could be put to better use. They have called for tougher action against negligent health professionals. However, this action usually comes too late for the many families who have to live with the consequences of either losing their loved ones or having to take care of them because of the disabilities, caused by negligent healthcare professionals. Join us this week as we explore this matter and speak to families which know all too well the pain of raising children who, if healthcare professionals took a little bit more care while assisting them during the birth, they would not be living with abnormalities. The Khanyi and Skhosana families take us through their painful stories which have left them permanently scarred following their terrible experiences in our public health facilities. We also expose the department’s inefficiencies in addressing continued negligence by health professionals despite its claims that it has a strategy in place to deal with challenges at public health facilities.
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