Report into newborns placed in cardboard boxes ‘to be released on Tuesday’
North West Health MEC Madoda Sambatha says a report into the placing of newborn babies in cardboard boxes will be released on Tuesday.
The incident happened at Mahikeng Provincial Hospital’s neonatal section last week.
The hospital’s nursing manager has already been placed on precautionary suspension amid a public outcry.
Sambatha says the incident was not reported to the CEO by the nursing management in charge of the neonatal unit.
“I have issued an instruction for the CEO to conduct an internal investigation which must be concluded by Tuesday, 30 May 2023 and for the nurse in charge together with the Nursing Manager placed on precautionary suspension pending the final outcome of the investigation.”
The MEC visited the hospital on Monday evening and says there were only 31 functional cribs and 16 incubators on the day in question.
A total of 56 babies were born in the neonatal ward on the day.
Sambatha says 18 additional cribs and incubators have since been delivered to the hospital.
Meanwhile, the nurses’ union Denosa has reacted with fury to the suspension of the nurses at Mahikeng Provincial Hospital.
Denosa spokesperson Mzwakhe Seleke says the nurses at the hospital have been vocal about the lack of resources.
“If there is anyone to be suspended it is the CEO and the Corporate Service Manager because on the day the nurses reported to the relevant people about the plight and the pressures, they were facing in the ward that day”.
“That ward is a 25 bedded ward but that day they had 56 patients in the ward and only seven nurses to care for them. It’s highly unfair and not possible that those nurses could have issued the highest degree of nursing care, which they tried their best to do.”
ALSO READ
