Gauteng health welcomes 112 babies born on New Year’s Day
More than 100 babies were born on New Year’s Day at public healthcare facilities in Gauteng.
The 112 new arrivals, — 59 boys and 53 girls — were delivered between midnight and 9.30am.
The provincial health department said academic hospitals delivered 19 babies. Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital delivered nine and Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital five.
Ten babies were delivered at tertiary hospitals — Tembisa Hospital welcomed six and Kalafong Hospital four.
Health and wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko on Monday morning visited Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital in Pretoria North to welcome the newborns and present gifts to their parents.
“It is important that we encourage the mothers to embrace exclusive breastfeeding of their babies for the first six months as breast milk contains all nutritional substances and antibodies babies need to grow and protect them from illnesses. They must also follow the Road to Health booklet and ensure their little ones are immunised at regular ages to protect them against diseases such as polio, hepatitis, measles and meningitis,” said Nkomo-Ralehoko.
The department urged the mothers to use home affairs offices at health facilities to register their babies before going home.
TimesLIVE
