Deaths at Tower Hospital fabricated by psychiatrist who ‘no longer cares’
The health ombud is to bring disciplinary charges against the psychiatrist, whose track record is 'less than desirable'
On Thursday, health ombud Prof Malegapuru Makgoba poured cold water on allegations of patients being abused at the Tower Hospital in the Eastern Cape resulting in a high number of deaths‚ alleging that the senior psychiatrist at the hospital had fabricated the information. "The incidents at Tower Hospital is no ‘Life Esidimeni’‚" Makgoba said. Psychiatrist Dr Kiran Sukeri‚ employed at the Tower Psychiatric Hospital in Fort Beaufort‚ had gone to Rapport newspaper to claim that there were gross human rights violations at the hospital‚ alleging that a total of 90 patients had died at facility. "They got it wrong on this matter‚" Makgoba said, who has conducted extensive investigations at the hospital and compiled a lengthy report in which he details that he had found no prima facie evidence of deliberate violation of patients at the hospital‚ with the exception of the hospital’s seclusion rooms. Makgoba described the psychiatrist’s statements as damaging and false‚ adding that they amo...
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