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Babies in Boxes: Five managers 'kicked out'

05 Jun 2023

NORTH West Health MEC Madoda Sambatha has confirmed that five managers have been transferred from Mahikeng Provincial Hospital pending an investigation into why newborn babies were placed in cardboard boxes. Sambatha confirmed this "precautionary transfer" on Wednesday, 30 May as he gave an update on the latest developments. Last week, the MEC came out to raise concerns about the situation. He revealed that the incident happened on Saturday, 20 May, but management had not been made aware of the matter. "On Thursday, I received a public circulation of picture. Circulating it back to management, I said I can't believe this and need urgent investigation to probe whether indeed this happened in Mahikeng and what the reason for this was," he said.
Sambatha noted three things during the investigation. Babies in Boxes: Five IllallaflOPS idiCk011 Out Newborn babies were put in cardboard boxes at Mahikeng Provincial Hospital just after birth. The first was that on that day, the hospital only had 47 cribs and incubators but at least 56 babies were delivered, which saw four being placed in boxes. He said it was in the "failed management function", which saw the hospital admit more mothers than the number of cribs and incubators available. As a result, Sambatha said five managers must give the department formal accountability. "Given that these are pre liminary investigations, we must now do a full investigation into the incident, but it is limited to the responsibilities of the five.

These five will be informed by management on what we've decided to do," he said. ActionSA has since written to South African Human Rights Commission SAHRC to investigate the matter. "Placing newborn babies in cardboard boxes goes against the Bill of Rights in the South African Constitution which declares that ev ery single South African has the right to quality healthcare and basic human dignity. "If the incident wasn't exposed through social media, more babies could've been placed in these carboard boxes which could've compromised their healthcare and possibly placed their lives at risk," said the party. SAHRC spokesman Oarabile Gaoraelwe said they were aware of the matter and have launched an investigation.

Source: Daily Sun

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