Over 500 babies born on Christmas Day
The Ministry of Health has welcomed all the babies born on Christmas Day across the country, and also congratulated the parents and healthcare professionals for the successful and safe delivery of these bundles of joy on the same day millions of Christians around the world commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.
A media statement released by the ministry stated that over 500 babies were born across the country between midnight and midday on Christmas day, and majority of them were delivered in Gauteng (223) .
“Some of the provinces which recorded the first childbirths include Limpopo and Mpumalanga, where the healthy babies were born exactly at 00h00 at Voortrekker Hospital in Mokopane and Temba Hospital in Kabokweni outside Mbombela. In the Eastern Cape the first baby was born at 00h01 at Sipetu Hospital in Mount Frere,” the department explained.
The province of Free State recorded the first baby weighing 3,010 kg from National District Hospital in Bloemfontein at 00h04, while North West province recorded a premature baby boy at 00h50 weighing 1.2kg at the JB Marks Community Health Centre. The baby was placed in the neonatal ICU at Potchefstroom Hospital and the condition of both the mother and baby is stable.
Amongst the youngest mothers include the two 15 year-old women who gave birth at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, in Umlazi outside Durban in KwaZulu-Natal and Tonga Hospital in Mpumalanga.
The Health Department wishes all mothers and babies a long and health journey of life, and reminds all mothers to ensure their babies are up-to-date with immunisation schedule accessible in the Road-to-Health Booklet, otherwise known as Clinic card, to protect them against childhood diseases such as measles.
The department further indicated that they will provide the consolidated statistics of all babies born on this special day across the country at a later stage.
In Gauteng, Health and Wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko visited hospitals in the province to welcome the new citizens of the province and give gifts to the new mothers.
“The department wishes to extend its
appreciation to healthcare workers who have been working tirelessly
throughout the year ensuring that the people of Gauteng receive the best
service when visiting health facilities.”
“Thank you for always making Christmas time cheerful and filled with love to
mothers and their new borns. We wish all parents well and encourage
mothers to opt for breastfeeding their babies as it is essential and has many
health benefits for their babies,” said MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko.
The MEC also urged parents of the newly-born babies to register births
early, through Home Affairs offices available at health facilities across the
province. This is part of efforts to create a seamless service for communities
by government.