The Department of Health in the North West says it is investigating an incident in which newborn babies were placed in boxes instead of incubators or crib beds at the Mahikeng Provincial Hospital’s neonatal section.

MEC Madoda Sambatha has described the incident as “shocking”. He has ordered that the matter be looked into.

North West Health spokesperson Tebogo Lekgethwane says, “MEC Madoda Sambatha has directed for the matter to be speedily investigated. And as a matter of urgency and intervention, MEC Sambatha has called for additional cribs to be immediately sent to the hospital, from the facility that has more. The [hospital] CEO is following up on the procurement because the department has already started the process for procurement of additional incubators for that hospital.”