New Year welcomes 373 babies in Gauteng
“I want to take this opportunity to wish a happy and prosperous new year to all the parents who welcomed their babies,” said Mokgethi.
The Gauteng public healthcare facilities delivered more than 300 babies between midnight and 23:59 on on New Year’s day.
Health MEC, Nomathemba Mokgethi, visited Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital in the Johannesburg district to welcome the new-born babies, and celebrate with their parents, pampering them with gifts on Saturday morning.
In all 373 new lives entered the world.
Mokgethi said academic hospitals delivered 29 babies, many being delivered at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital with 15 deliveries, followed by Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital with eight deliveries.
“Tertiary hospitals delivered a total of 19 babies with Kalafong delivering eight and Tembisa hospital 11.”
She said the above were numbers from the last 12 hours, and a final statement would be released on Sunday, inclusive of all 24-hour clinics in practice.
Mokgethi reminded all that the Covid-19 was still prevalent and encouraged all pregnant and breastfeeding women to get vaccinated against to protect themselves and their families from severe illness, hospitalisation or death in the event that they contract the virus.
“I want to take this opportunity to wish a happy and prosperous new year to all the parents who welcomed their babies,” said Mokgethi.
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Gauteng health department spokesperson, Philani Mhlungu, said Steve Biko Academic Hospital saw the birth of five boy babies and six girls, Charlotte Maxeke had xx boys and fourt girls, Dr George Mukhari saw nine boys and seven females, Chris Hani Baragwanath 14 boys and 10 girls.
Tembisa Hospital and Kalafong Hospital tallied an amount of 24 boys and 25 girls.
Mhlungu said Kalafong Hospital had a set of twins.
Jubilee Hospital saw delivery of 10 boys and four girls, Rahima Moosa Mother Child Hospital 12 boys and eight girls, Far East Rand Hospital, 13 boys and nine girlds Thelle Mogoerane Hospital 22 babies, with a set of twins, Mamelodi Hospital, 17 babies, Odi Hospital, three, Bronkhorspruit Hospital two and Pretoria West eight, with regional and district hospitals tallying up 223 babies.
Community healthcare centres such as Lillian Ngoyi CHC, Soshanguve CHC and Stanza Bopape CHC had 39 deliveries.
Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla welcomed the total amount of 1764 babies born at various public health care facilities across the country on New Year`s day.
“Congratulates on all parents on the safe arrival of their little bundles of joy and wishes them a good health.”
He said the country recorded more baby girls at 894 as compared to a total number of 870 baby boys.
Phaahla said there were 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.
“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.
He said for the first 6 months of life, parents had to ensure the babies had the necessary immunisations from birth, and always remembered to take their ‘Road-To-Health-Booklet’, previously known as Clinic Card, which
showed doctors and nurses a child’s growth.
“A child`s health is most vulnerable during the first 1000 days of their lives, and the right nutrition during this period can have a profound impact on a child`s ability to develop
and learn.”
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