'Gauteng health faces R3.7bn in legal claims'

"Quality management must be tightened up, especially in maternity wards as many claims are because of babies harmed at birth"

The Gauteng health department faces R3.7 billion in legal claims, the DA said on Sunday.

This was the figure given to the province's public accounts committee last week, Democratic Alliance MPL Jack Bloom said in a statement.

"The total is up from R2.7bn in legal claims as at 31 March this year, and R1.6bn in the 2011/12 financial year.

"Most of the claims are from 1002 medico-legal cases that claim a total amount of R3.415bn," he said.

There were also 326 civil claims amounting to R265 million and 159 emergency services claims totalling R9.7m.

The Gauteng health department could not be reached for comment.

Bloom said the amount claimed was concerning as the department had lost all medical negligence court cases in the past three years.

"This tidal wave of claims highlights the urgency of raising the standard of health care so that medical mistakes are minimised.

"Quality management must be tightened up, especially in maternity wards as many claims are because of babies harmed at birth," he said.