Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Tunisia's public healthcare had a reputation as one of the best in North Africa

Tunisia's Health Minister Abderraouf Cherif has resigned following the deaths of 11 newborn babies at a hospital in the capital, Tunis.

All of the babies died of septic shock at the Rabta maternity hospital between 7-8 March.

Prime Minister Youssef Chahed said investigations have been launched into the state-run facility's medical, pharmaceutical and hygiene practices.

Mr Cherif's resignation comes just four months after his appointment.

In a Facebook post, the Tunisian paediatrics society said the infection may have been caused by an intravenous feeding product.

The group also called on the authorities to "shed light" on the case and criticised the "precarious conditions in which health professionals work".

Tunisia's public healthcare had a reputation as one of the best in North Africa, and medical tourism is a source of considerable revenue for the country.

But since the overthrow of President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, the system has been hampered by management and financial problems, along with recurrent drug shortages.</s>The Tunisian Health Minister Abderraouf Cherif has resigned following the deaths of 11 newborn babies at a hospital in the capital, Tunis.

Tunisia's health ministry said evidence suggested they had all died from septic shock between 7-8 March.

Prime Minister Youssef Chahed said investigations have been launched into the state-run facility's medical, pharmaceutical and hygiene practices.

Mr Cherif's resignation comes just four months after his appointment.

In a Facebook post, Tunisia's paediatrics society said the infection may have been caused by an intravenous product.

The group also criticised "precarious conditions in which health professionals work".

Tunisia's public healthcare had a reputation as one of the best in North Africa, and medical tourism is a source of considerable revenue for the country.

But since the overthrow of President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, the system has been hampered by management and financial problems, along with recurrent drug shortages.</s>The Tunisian Health Minister Abderraouf Cherif has resigned following the deaths of 11 newborn babies at a hospital in the capital, Tunis.

The country’s health ministry said evidence suggested they had all died from septic shock between 7-8 of March.

Prime Minister Youssef Chahed said investigations have been launched into the state-run facility’s medical, pharmaceutical and hygiene practices.

Mr Cherif’s resignation comes just four months after his appointment.

Tunisia’s paediatrics society says the infection may have been caused by an intravenous product.

The group also criticised “precarious conditions in which health professionals work”.</s>TUNISIA’S HEALTH MINISTER has resigned after the sudden deaths of 11 newborn babies at a state maternity hospital sparked an outcry in the country, the government said.

Prime Minister Youssef Chahed accepted Abderraouf Cherif’s resignation, the premier’s office said on Facebook late last night.

“Those responsible for any negligence will face legal proceedings,” the prime minister said at the maternity hospital in the capital late Saturday, according to a video released by his office.

Leading newspaper Essafa today cried foul and compared the deaths of the babies to a “state crime”.

A medical association said the sudden deaths could have been caused by a food product that had gone bad.

The babies died on Thursday and Friday at the Rabta clinic in Tunis, which is part of a large medical centre in the capital.

Since then authorities have launched several investigations, including medical and hygiene checks by the health ministry, which was also probing the management of the hospital pharmacy.

Prosecutors said they had opened a judicial inquiry into the deaths.

The Tunisian pediatrics society wrote in a statement on Facebook that “elements of the ongoing investigation” pointed to an infection caused by a food product given by gastric tube.

The association called on the authorities to “shed light” on the situation and recalled the “precarious conditions in which health professionals work”.

The health ministry said in a statement that “preventive measures and treatment have been taken to avoid other victims and to ensure the health of other babies in the maternity ward”.

The independent Tunisian Forum of Economic and Social Rights had called on the health minister to resign over the deaths.

The public health system, once a source of pride in Tunisia, has been hit by management and financial problems that lowered standards and caused drug shortages.</s>TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisia’s health minister Abdel-Raouf El-Sherif resigned on Saturday after 11 babies mysteriously died within 24 hours in a hospital in the capital, state news agency TAP said.

The health ministry and state prosecutors have launched investigations into the cause of the babies’ death which was likely due to a blood infection, it said.

Tunisians have complained about a decline of state services since the overthrow of Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011 which has brought a democratic transition but also thrown the country into an economic crisis.

Government critics say the public sector is rife with corruption.</s>Manama: Tunisia’s health minister has resigned following the death of 11 babies at a maternity hospital in two days.

Prime Minister Youssef Chahed said that he accepted the resignation of Abdul Raouf Cherif who was given the health portfolio late last year in a cabinet reshuffle.

A government official said the minister handed in his resignation to the prime minister at an impromptu meeting on Saturday evening.

The babies died at the state-run Rabta hospital in the capital Tunis on Friday and Saturday

Chahed who made a visit to the hospital late on Saturday said that an investigation had been launched and pledged that those named in the report would be held accountable.

A report from the health ministry said the babies died from septic shock.

Radio stations reported that the prosecutor on Saturday evening questioned the head and staff of the section tasked with providing care for the babies as family members gathered outside the hospital seeking answers for the death of their babies.

An opposition party called for the resignation of the government, citing its inability to run one of the most critical sectors in the North African country.

Other parties called for a thorough probe while the country’s main trade union stressed the need to improve working conditions in the healthcare sector.

However, the situation deteriorated in the last eight years as the sector became plagued with social and professional problems.</s>Tunisian Health Minister Abdel-Raouf El-Sherif resigned Saturday after 11 babies mysteriously died within 24 hours in a hospital in the capital, state news agency TAP said.

The health ministry and state prosecutors began investigations into the babies' deaths, which most likely were caused by a blood infection, the ministry said.

Tunisians have complained about a decline in state services since the overthrow of Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, which brought a democratic transition but also threw the country into an economic crisis.

Government critics say the public sector is rife with corruption.</s>Tunisia's health minister Abdel-Raouf El-Sherif has resigned following multiple investigations launched into the sudden deaths of 11 newborns at a state maternity hospital in the capital.

Prime Minister Youssef Chahed accepted El-Sherif's resignation, according to official news agency TAP, after the health ministry said 11 newborns were reported dead on Thursday and Friday at Rabta hospital in Tunis.

Chahed has ordered an investigation into the deaths and vowed to hold those responsible accountable.

Preliminary findings revealed that the deaths were "likely caused by septic shock resulting from blood infections", the ministry said.

The Tunisian prosecutor's office has also ordered the opening of a judicial investigation into the deaths.

The public health system in Tunisia has been hit by management and financial problems that lowered standards and caused drug shortages.

Tunisians have complained about a decline of state services since the overthrow of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011 which has brought a democratic transition but also thrown the country into an economic crisis.</s>Tunis: Tunisian authorities on Saturday launched multiple investigations into the sudden deaths of 11 newborn babies at a state maternity hospital in the capital.

The health ministry was conducting medical and hygiene checks and probing the management of the hospital pharmacy after the babies died Thursday and Friday at the Rabta clinic, a spokesman told AFP.

Prosecutors also said they had opened a judicial inquiry into the deaths.

Parents trying to find out if their babies were among those who died told AFP there had been a problem with expired serum.

The health ministry said in a statement on Facebook that "preventive measures and treatment have been taken to avoid other victims and to ensure the health status of other babies in the maternity ward".

The public health system, once a source of pride in Tunisia, has been hit by management and financial problems that lowered standards and caused drug shortages.</s>Tunisia's health minister has resigned after 11 newborns suddenly died in a hospital in the capital, Tunis.

The official news agency TAP reported that Prime Minister Youssef Chahed accepted the late Saturday resignation of Abderraouf El-Sherif.

Chahed has ordered an investigation into the sudden deaths of the infants and vowed to hold those responsible accountable.

Eleven newborns were reported dead on Thursday and Friday at Rabta hospital, the Health Ministry said in a press release on Saturday.

Preliminary findings revealed that the deaths were "likely caused by septic shock resulting from blood infections," the ministry said.

The Tunisian prosecutor's office has also ordered a judicial investigation into the deaths to be opened.

Tunisia's powerful labour union has called for the circumstances behind the infants' deaths to be revealed. In a statement, the Tunisian General Labour Union called for transparency in the ongoing investigations and letting the people of Tunisia know the truth.
Tunisian health minister Abderraouf Cherif resigns following the deaths of 11 newborn babies since Thursday at a hospital in the capital Tunis. Evidence suggests all 11 died from septic shock. Tunisia's public healthcare had been considered one of the best in North Africa, but it has operated less smoothly since the 2011 revolution.