The North West Department of Health has launched an investigation into the allegations that there is a shortage of incubators and baby beds at Mahikeng Hospital. This is after images of newborn babies at the hospital placed inside boxes circulated on social media.

BABIES IN BOXES

The pictures were calculated by a concerned hospital worker with a private account who felt that the North West Department did not care about the newborn babies. Provincial Health MEC, Madoda Sambatha said he has learnt with shock that newborn babies, who are patients in the neonatal section of the hospital were placed in boxes instead of incubators or crib beds. "The hospital management has indicated that their preliminary internal investigation has revealed that the incident happened on Saturday and the management was not aware of the incident," he said. Sambatha said that his department takes this matter in serious light because there are systems and procedures in place which should have guided the hospital on a solution if there were any challenges of shortage of incubators at the time. 

PROCUREMENT PROCESS UNDERWAY

"There are also management meetings that are held every Monday morning which normally look into the weekend reports and yet this incident was never reported. The department will institute further investigation to establish how much time was spent by these babies inside these boxes. Under normal circumstances when staff members come across situations that are dire over the weekend, they should call the managers so that relevant alternatives can be organised," he said. Sambatha has directed that the matter should be speedily investigated. He further said that urgent arrangements are being made for additional cribs to be immediately sent to the hospital. The CEO is following up on procurement processes, which are underway in the hospital for additional incubators and cribs," Sambatha added.