SA welcomes over 1700 babies on New Year’s Day
Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla welcomed 1 764 babies born at various public health care facilities across the country on New Year`s day, and congratulated all parents on the safe arrival of their little bundles of joy and wished them a good health.
The country recorded more baby girls at 894 as compared to a total number of 870 baby boys, with more than 65 teenage mothers between the age of 13 and 19 years old.
Phaahla encouraged all mothers to consider exclusive breastfeed for their babies for the first 6 months of life and ensure they get necessary immunisations from birth, and always remember to take their Road-To-Health-Booklet, previously known as Clinic Card to hospital or clinic as it keeps track of your child’s immunisation which shows doctors and nurses your child growth.
“Babies need only milk feeds for the first 6 months of life, but milk continues to be an important source of nutrients to children after 6 months, therefore there is no need to put a time limit on feeds,” said Phaahla.
A breakdown of babies born on the first day of 2022 per province:
- Gauteng: 373
- North West: 124
- Limpopo: 215
- Free State: 112
- Northern Cape: 49
- Eastern Cape: 246
- KwaZulu-Natal: 264
- Western Cape: 175
- Mpumalanga: 206
- TOTAL: 1 764
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