Central SA
Free State Health's ratio of psychologists a shocking 1:733 110─── 13:43 Tue, 28 Jun 2022
Free State residents reportedly only have four psychologists hired for public service, while the national Health Department is ready to fully assist only 0.3% of the country’s population.
This is according to the DA Shadow Minister of Health, Michele Clarke. Clarke told OFM News that according to the number of people seeking mental health support in the province, each psychologist has 733 110 possible patients, according to the population.
“This means for the people of the Free State, that if they have any mental health conditions, they’re not actually going to receive the treatment they need. It’s really worrying that if you can’t sort out gender-based violence and you can’t sort out drug problems that we have as a country - in terms of rehabilitation - we’re obviously going to see an increase of mental health and psychiatric conditions. So they are all linked to each other.”
An enquiry sent to the Free State Health Department has not been responded to at the time of publication.
OFM News previously reported that complaints from staff and patients at the Free State Psychiatric Hospital in Bloemfontein, also known as the Oranje Hospital, have been streaming in.
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OFM News/Mpho Mohapi
