Minister resigns over infant fatalities

Tunisian Health Minister Abderraouf Cherif has resigned following the deaths of 11 newborn babies at a hospital in Tunis. The authorities said evidence suggested they had all died from septic shock on 7 and 8 March. BBC News reports that Prime Minister Youssef Chahed said investigations have been launched into the state-run facility's medical, pharmaceutical and hygiene practices. 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. However, since the overthrow of President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, the system has been hampered by management and financial problems.