Ombud finds George Mukhari Hospital liable for psychiatric ward failures

The Health Ombudsman has found that critical safety failures contributed to the death of a psychiatric patient at the George Mukhari Academic Hospital 

This is contained in findings from a probe into the death of Lerato Mohlamme in 2024.

Mohlamme died in a fire at the hospital, while 17 other patients were evacuated from the ward.

The findings were released on Monday as part of an investigation into patient safety incidents in Gauteng.

The ombud’s report found that fire safety warnings raised by patients were ignored and that emergency systems at the facility failed.

Locked emergency exits, missing keys, and a lack of disaster management measures meant staff were unprepared to respond effectively.

A post-mortem confirmed that Mohlamme was alive when the fire broke out, with injuries consistent with smoke inhalation.

The investigation also found that she had access to a lighter, which may have started the fire, raising further questions about supervision in the ward.

"The psychiatric unit is currently not fit for purpose; it is imperative that it must be refurbished," said Health Ombud, Professor Taole Mokoena.

Mokoena has called for urgent infrastructure upgrades, including fire safety equipment, and says the facility may need to be rebuilt.

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