Limpopo Health MEC,
, has started investigations into the deaths of newborn babies at Maphuta-Malatji hospital outside Phalaborwa.Some of the parents were ordered to take still-born babies home allegedly by the hospital authorities.Our oversight inspection to Maphutha Malatji hospital in Limpopo revealed that of the approximately 230 babies born here every month, an average of 28% die.Department spokesperson Neil Shikwambana says that MEC is concerned as the hospital has a state-of-the-art pediatric ward.
“The MEC is instituting this investigation because she has received several complaints from community members who are worried about the numbers of newborns who are dying in that hospital. The MEC felt necessary that such investigations must be done quickly because you’d know that there’s history in that particular institution.”