Jona Vaughan's closure rumours denied despite hardships
Also read: Grim festive season for Jona Vaughan staff
The Life Esidimeni tragedy involved the deaths of 144 patients at psychiatric facilities in Gauteng from causes including starvation and neglect. The patients died after they were removed from Life Esidimeni, a private healthcare provider, in 2016, and relocated to cheaper care centres.
The Jona Vaughan Home for the Handicapped is a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing care and residency to 69 handicapped persons, 40% of whom are abandoned or orphaned. The centre is administered by Durban and Coastal Mental Health (DCMH), which in turn is funded by the Department of Health and the Department of Social Development.
The treasurer of the parents' association, Charmaine Lombard, said she heard from two sources that the Department of Health may consider withdrawing all funding from the end of June.
'There is no other facility like Jona Vaughan to cater for such profound disabilities. If Jona Vaughan were to close its doors, the residents would be moved to facilities outside of Durban. This would be detrimental to our residents as the Jona Vaughan Home is the only home that many of the residents know,' said Lombard.
The funding that the facility receives from DCMH is never enough to cover all its day-to-day operating costs, which has led the parents' association to spearhead several fundraising initiatives. Lombard said the staff, whom many of the centre's residents regard as their parents, have not been paid in full since April. The water and electricity bill stands at R1.8 million, and the municipality has issued a notice to disconnect the supply on June 2.
'We feel that these issues are serious and critical and require a long-standing resolution, as we are the voices of the very people who deserve to be treated with care, dignity, kindness and respect. Just because the residents are mentally and physically challenged does not exclude them from the basic human rights they are entitled to,' she said.
DCMH's CEO, Mbonisi Sibisi, stated that there have been no discussions regarding the closure of Jona Vaughn; however, an agreement between DCMH and DOH is set to expire in March 2026.
'DCMH has consistent meetings with DOH where we discuss the performance of the centre and other related issues. Our organisation is an NPO and largely depends on subsidies and donations. The subsidy only covers a fraction of the centre's costs,' said Sibisi.
He also urged the public to keep supporting Jona Vaughan.
How to help:
A Back-a-buddy campaign to raise funds for Jona Vaughan Home for the Handicapped has been started. Go to www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/jona-vaughan-home to donate. The home is also hosting a work party on June 7, from 08:00, open to the public who may wish to assist.
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