Two staff members were placed on provisional suspension for placing babies in cardboard boxes due to a shortage of cots and incubators on Saturday 20 May 2023. 

Mahikeng Hospital has been among the hospitals that have a lack of resources. The incident of babies that were placed in boxes placed the hospital in the spotlight. Despite expressing his satisfaction with the progress made in finding lasting solutions to the challenges at the hospital, Sambatha raised concerns over the conduct of the managers after they were informed about the incident on Monday. 

He said instead of going to the affected ward to check the problem and find a lasting solution, they instead decided to attend a Lekgotla which the Department of Health paid for.

“Where was their conscience and solidarity with nurses and doctors who were involved in that ward? They only came here because I said I am coming at five. Under normal circumstances they had no plan to come back here because they left the same hospital having not gone to check that ward,” said Sambatha.

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Meanwhile, it’s understood that the hospital had already advanced the procurement of additional cribs and baby incubators, and it was also acknowledged as a sign that the hospital had anticipated the need to address the challenge of space for newborn babies. Despite lashing out at the hospital's management, Sambatha called on management's collective accountability and stated that no individual can be entirely blamed since the challenges are systemic and structural.

OFM News