Johannesburg – Gauteng recorded as many as 194 babies born at public hospitals in the first 12 hours of Christmas Day.
Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko on Monday congratulated parents of newborn babies delivered at public health facilities across the province.
“About 194 babies were born between midnight and noon on Christmas Day, 25 December 2023,” said the Gauteng Department of Health.
“The MEC this morning visited Sebokeng Regional Hospital where she presented visibly excited mothers of newly-born babies with gifts and celebrated with them as they welcomed their bundles of joy.”
She said that it was fitting to celebrate and shower the mothers with gifts containing essentials for babies given that Sebokeng Hospital serves a large number of indigent communities from townships, informal settlements, and hostels (TISH).
“We have made a commitment, as the Gauteng Provincial government, to ensure that our TISH communities are prioritised in all government programmes,” said MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko.
“These gift packs which include essentials such as nappies, wipes, bum creams, soap, and bathtub, will go a long way in the first days to a month of the babies’ lives.”
Academic hospitals delivered 41 babies with Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital accounting for 22 deliveries, followed by Steve Biko Academic Hospital with seven babies.
Tertiary Hospitals delivered a total of 20 babies with Tembisa Hospital accounting for 16 and Kalafong for four deliveries.
Regional and District Hospitals delivered 81 babies while Community Healthcare Centres delivered 49 babies.
The MEC also urged the mothers of the newly-born babies to ensure that their babies are registered immediately after birth through the Department of Home Affairs offices across all Gauteng public hospitals.
“We would also like to urge parents to ensure that their bundles of joy are immunised at regular ages as set out in the road to health care booklet to protect them against diseases such as polio, tuberculosis, hepatitis, measles, and meningitis,” said MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko.
“Immunisation is free at all public clinics and community healthcare centres in the province.”
In addition, the MEC encouraged mothers of newborn babies and infants aged between 0 – 24 months to continue breastfeeding as breast milk is the optimal food source for babies, and contains all nutritional substances and antibodies they need to grow and protect them from illnesses.
Meanwhile, the national Department of Health joined parents and families in welcoming over 500 babies born by midday on Christmas day in South Africa.
The department reminded new mothers to prioritise exclusive breastfeeding for at least the first six months to two years of the babies’ life “to enable them to achieve optimal growth and development, and also enjoy a long, safe and healthy journey of life”.
The first bundle of joy was a healthy baby girl welcomed at 00:00 at Galeshewe Day Hospital in the Northern Cape, followed by a baby boy delivered at 00:02 at Harry Gwala Regional Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, then at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital at 00:03 and West End Community Health Centre at 00:04, both in the Eastern Cape.
“Almost 40% of this number of babies were born in Gauteng health facilities, followed by KwaZulu-Natal facilities,” the department said.
Mothers and caregivers were urged to ensure their newborns remain up to date with immunisations as per the Road-to-Health Booklet, also known as the clinic card, to protect them against life-threatening childhood diseases such as polio, measles, and smallpox.
“It is also important for parents to ensure that babies are registered for birth certificates within 30 days after birth to avoid late registrations,” the department said.
“To make it more convenient for parents to register their children within 30 days, the Department of Home Affairs has set up 161 offices at public hospitals and selected clinics as part of the government`s efforts to promote early birth registration.”
The department, in partnership with various stakeholders in the health sector, has launched the Side-by-Side campaign and the MomConnect initiative to support mothers to ensure that all children under the age of five years receive the nurturing care they need to survive and thrive.