COPE Demands Enquiry into Death of 22 Babies

In a press statement released on 15 July 2010, the Congress of the People (Cope) in the Northern Cape legislature demanded that Health Department officials account to the Provincial Legislature regarding the death of 22 babies in June 2010 alone at the Kimberley state hospital. The deaths were documented in the monthly mortality report of the hospital.  Pakes Dikgetsi, COPE MPL and Health Committee member, said he had written to the Chairperson requesting an “urgent enquiry into the deaths”. “This is a matter of urgent public importance. We want those officials here and we want explanations. They must account in full for what action will be taken to ensure that this tragedy never happens again at Kimberley hospital.”  Mr Dikgetsi said his party will also seek information on how the mothers and their families of babies whose deaths could have been prevented will be compensated.  “Once again the Department has shown no remorse for these deaths. They have placed the blame at the feet of the patients themselves. The facilities they are requesting mothers to visit are hollow shells which is why so many mothers-to-be are transferred to Kimberley hospital in the first place. Their refusal to take full responsibility shows that these deaths have left them cold.”  Mr Dikgetsi said he will further request that the mortality reports for Kimberley hospital and all other healthcare facilities in the province be presented to the committee on a monthly basis in order to “monitor the extent of negligence and safety of patients in provincial facilities”.  He added that he was still awaiting a response from the Public Protector regarding his request for an investigation into the loss of a woman’s baby due to negli-gence from emergency medical services in the Siyanda region. “The fact that the Public Protector’s Northern Cape office has been dragging their heels for so long on this matter could be an indicator that they are too executive-minded to take on the hard cases. We demand that they now investigate our complaint as it is clear that these mortalities are widespread.”  “We are certainly living in a place far removed from the South African dream witnessed during the World Cup if stakeholders are not prepared to take these matters seriously and show the necessary compassion. This is not the South Africa we want and it is definitely not the treatment that those who rely on public healthcare deserve,” said Mr Dikgetsi.  Cope Communication