A grand total of 222 new Eastern Cape citizens made their way into the world on the first day of 2018.
Of the neonates 119 are boys, and 103 girls.
In OR Tambo municipality 52 babies were delivered on New Year’s Day. Nelson Mandela Metro came second with 43 births, and Buffalo City Metro recorded 34 babies born on Monday. This beats the 195 Christmas Day babies.
OR Tambo district manager for district hospitals and primary healthcare facilities, Nomvume Ntshanga, said this New Year’s Day births were one of the highest recorded.
“We are happy there haven’t been any fatalities, at least in our region,” she said.
When the Daily Dispatch visited East London’s Frere Hospital maternity ward, mothers were joyfully feeding and cooing over their newborns.
Eight babies were born at the hospital on Monday.
First-time mom Babalwa Ngqasuli of Willowvale said as her family were welcoming in the New Year, she went into labour.
She gave birth to Khayona Ngqasuli on Monday afternoon. “I’m very happy that he’s here. I wasn’t expecting him to be born on the first. I’m looking forward to taking him home today,” she said.
Chuma Mfeli of Scenery Park, said baby Ziviwe Mfeli, her second child, was meant to have arrived in December.
“I didn’t expect to enter into the New Year like this because she was way overdue. I’m feeling blessed that we’re both in good health,” she said lovingly.
Cwayita Mdunyelwa, of Sunnyside, is also a first-time mom. Her daughter, Izibongo Mdunyelwa, arrived on Monday morning.
Cwayita said she was excited that her daughter was “finally here”.
“I arrived here on Sunday morning and the wait was too long. We are both recovering well and I’m grateful that she was born on such a precious day.”
Department of health provincial spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said no perinatal deaths had been recorded across the Eastern Cape.
“We would like to congratulate the mothers on their babies, and we encourage them to take good care of the infants, and take them for their scheduled clinic visits and immunisations.
“We have four sets of twins, as well as 13 caesarean births, one vacuum delivery and one breech delivery. Five babies were born in ambulances en route to the hospitals. But we are glad to report no complications. It was smooth sailing across the province,” he said.
Kupelo urged mothers against performing traditional practices on infants as this led to an increase in child mortality in the province. — nonsindisoq@dispatch.co.za
Bumper New Year births bring joy across the province
Of the neonates 119 are boys, and 103 girls.
In OR Tambo municipality 52 babies were delivered on New Year’s Day. Nelson Mandela Metro came second with 43 births, and Buffalo City Metro recorded 34 babies born on Monday. This beats the 195 Christmas Day babies.
OR Tambo district manager for district hospitals and primary healthcare facilities, Nomvume Ntshanga, said this New Year’s Day births were one of the highest recorded.
“We are happy there haven’t been any fatalities, at least in our region,” she said.
When the Daily Dispatch visited East London’s Frere Hospital maternity ward, mothers were joyfully feeding and cooing over their newborns.
Eight babies were born at the hospital on Monday.
First-time mom Babalwa Ngqasuli of Willowvale said as her family were welcoming in the New Year, she went into labour.
She gave birth to Khayona Ngqasuli on Monday afternoon. “I’m very happy that he’s here. I wasn’t expecting him to be born on the first. I’m looking forward to taking him home today,” she said.
Chuma Mfeli of Scenery Park, said baby Ziviwe Mfeli, her second child, was meant to have arrived in December.
“I didn’t expect to enter into the New Year like this because she was way overdue. I’m feeling blessed that we’re both in good health,” she said lovingly.
Cwayita Mdunyelwa, of Sunnyside, is also a first-time mom. Her daughter, Izibongo Mdunyelwa, arrived on Monday morning.
Cwayita said she was excited that her daughter was “finally here”.
“I arrived here on Sunday morning and the wait was too long. We are both recovering well and I’m grateful that she was born on such a precious day.”
Department of health provincial spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said no perinatal deaths had been recorded across the Eastern Cape.
“We would like to congratulate the mothers on their babies, and we encourage them to take good care of the infants, and take them for their scheduled clinic visits and immunisations.
“We have four sets of twins, as well as 13 caesarean births, one vacuum delivery and one breech delivery. Five babies were born in ambulances en route to the hospitals. But we are glad to report no complications. It was smooth sailing across the province,” he said.
Kupelo urged mothers against performing traditional practices on infants as this led to an increase in child mortality in the province. — nonsindisoq@dispatch.co.za
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