Surprise delivery at Scottburgh hospital

Malitha Ndlovu (39), a KwaDumisa village local and patient at GJ Crookes Hospital in Scottburgh, went into labour just eight months into her pregnancy for her baby boy, on August 25.

After the baby was born, nursing staff quickly realised that Malitha was unknowingly carrying another baby.

In that short period of time, one turned into two and two suddenly turned into three.

Nursing staff and the mother of the now three premature baby boys, Aphile, Asiphile, and Asibonge, were all unprepared for the triplet’s surprise delivery, but were overjoyed to have successfully delivered the three bundles of joy into the world without much hassle.

News broke fast of the surprise delivery in local communities and the excitement couldn’t be contained as this was the first time in over a decade that triplets have born in the hospital.

Mother Malitha was overwhelmed after her delivery as she and her babies father, Mlungisi Mzizi, are both unemployed and were not prepared for so many children.

“I was confused at first when the doctor told me while I was delivering that I was going to have two babies,” she explained.

“I asked her whether she was serious and she said yes, and when they found the third baby, I was somewhat sad because I was really not expecting to have so many babies.”

Malitha called Mlungisi to tell him the news and he was so shocked by what he heard that he cut the call thinking he didn’t hear correctly.

“When I told him on the phone about the triplets, he initially said he couldn’t hear me properly and put the phone down, and then called me back and asked for the second time how many babies I had given birth to,” said Malitha.

“When I told him that it’s triplets, he said it’s okay, and that even though he’s unemployed, we will see what we will do.”

The KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane, heard about the triplets and struggling family and visited the mother and babies at the hospital last week, together with Umdoni mayor Sibongile Khathi, Ugu District mayor Sizwe Ngcobo, MP Fikile Masiko and several others.

The MEC and her team gave gifts to the mother of clothing, nappies and blankets for the baby boys and promised her that she would have a new house built for the family to improve living conditions.

Malitha burst into tears after hearing the life-changing news.

“We have agreed that we are going to assist her, and that assistance will be coming from mayor Ngcobo and mayor Khathi from the local municipality,” said MEC Simelane.

“It’s a very joyous situation when you’re expecting a baby and it’s also joyous when you get three babies, because it means you’re blessed three-fold, but it also has serious financial implications, and we have to come in to assist.”

Malitha already has two other children and mentioned that she would like to secure a job soon to help her provide for her children as she wishes them nothing but good health and prosperity. She plans to register the triplets to receive a child support grant as well.

The baby boys are all in good health and weighed in at 1.86kg, 1.2kg, and 1.71 kg and will remain under the supervision of healthcare professionals for the next two weeks, for continued care and weight gain.

Before leaving the hospital premises, the MEC officially opened the hospital’s newly-renovated 35-bed maternity ward (which is currently being used for isolation) as well as a separate purpose-built 49-bed isolation ward.

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