Claims top over R12bn

LIMPOPO: HALF OF HEALTH'S BUDGET SET ASIDE FOR LEGAL ACTION

- Alex Japho Matlala

The Limpopo department of health has been forced to allocate just under half of its annual R26.1 billion budget to actual and possible legal claims for medical negligence at its hospitals.

The department's medico-legal claims for this and last year totalled a staggering R12.7 billion.

Spokesperson Neil Shikwambane said: "The districts [regions] with the highest number of cases are Vhembe and Capricorn, while Tshilidzini, Mankweng and Polokwane hospitals are singled out as facilities with the highest number of cases."

In the past four years, the national department of health has paid out R23.6 billion in claims nationwide, with all provinces seemingly unable to stem the unrelenting tide of money due to claimants and their lawyers.