Central SA
North West hospital investigated for placing newborn babies in boxes─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 10:20 Sat, 27 May 2023
A hospital in North West is being investigated after it was discovered that newborn babies were placed in boxes instead of incubators or crib beds.
Provincial health spokesperson Tebogo Lekhgethwane says the North West Department of Health is shocked by the incident. Preliminary investigations conducted by the management of Mahikeng Provincial Hospital revealed that the incident occurred during the day on Saturday, 20 May, 2023. Management was not informed at the time. Lekhgethwane states that the department is taking this matter seriously, since there are systems and procedures in place to guide the hospital in case of a shortage of incubators.
“There are also management meetings on Monday morning which normally looks into the weekend reports and yet the incident was never reported,” Lekhgethwane adds.
According to Lekhgethwane, North West MEC for Health, Madoda Sambatha, directed the department to initiate further investigations into the incident to establish how much time the babies spent in boxes. He also reiterated that the hospital management should immediately be informed when such an incident occurs so that alternative solutions can be found.
It is understood that arrangements have been made for additional cribs to be immediately sent to the hospital from other health facilities that have a surplus. The CEO of Mahikeng Provincial Hospital is following up on the procurement of incubators and cribs, which is already in process.
