CABINET DECISION
Health emergencies bill fast-tracked after patients' deaths
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi criticised for the slow pace of setting up the trouble-shooting National Public Health Institute of SA
Legislation intended to improve the government’s capacity to identify disease outbreaks and health emergencies is due to go before the Cabinet next week, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi told Parliament on Thursday as he closed a debate on the recent deaths of at least 100 state psychiatric patients. The patients died after they were transferred by the Gauteng health department from Life Esidimeni facilities to unlicensed, ill-equipped nongovernmental organisations in an apparent bid to save money. Motsoaledi was responding to criticism from DA health spokesman Wilmot James, who questioned why it was taking so long for the department to set up the National Public Health Institute of SA (Naphisa), which, he said, could have stopped the Esidimeni tragedy in its tracks. Naphisa is modelled on the US Centres for Disease Control and is intended to co-ordinate disease and injury surveillance and research. Enabling legislation is contained in the Naphisa Bill, which was published for comme...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.