Newborn babies placed in boxes at hospital: North West health MEC acts

North West health MEC Madoda Sambatha says arrangements are being made to send additional cribs to Mahikeng Provincial Hospital, where photos emerged on social media of newborn babies sleeping in cardboard boxes. 

Sambatha said he learnt with shock that newborn babies in the neonatal section were placed in boxes instead of incubators or crib beds.

According to Sambatha, hospital management has indicated a preliminary internal investigation revealed the incident happened on Saturday and management was not alerted.

He said the department takes the matter seriously because systems and procedures are in place which should have guided the hospital on a shortage of incubators.

Management meetings are held every Monday which normally look into weekend reports and this incident was never reported. 

“The department will institute further investigation to establish how much time was spent by these babies in these boxes. Under normal circumstances when staff members come across situations that are dire over the weekend, they should call the managers so alternatives can be organised,” Sambatha said.

Arrangements are being made for additional cribs to be sent to the hospital. The CEO is following up on the procurement process under way for additional incubators and cribs. 

The department apologised and called for calm while the matter is being investigated.

TimesLIVE