BHISHO – The Eastern Cape welcomed 200 New Year’s Day babies with the first being a boy that was born at 12.10am at Mount Ayliff Hospital.
Compared to last year when 239 bundles of joy were born on January 1, this is a decrease of 39 babies.
A total of 104 girls were delivered at public health facilities while boys were 96.
Eastern Cape MEC for Department of Health Nomakhosazana Meth visited New Year’s Day babies at Dora Nginza Hospital and handed over care packs, yesterday.
Welcoming the newborns, MEC Meth described them as a gift from God.
“We are blessed to have so many bundles of joy. We congratulate the mothers, doctors, midwives, nurses and other healthcare workers on safe delivery of these precious gifts from God.
“We are, however, concerned that little girls continue falling pregnant and giving birth every year. We are calling on everyone to play their part in fighting unplanned pregnancy and teenage pregnancy.
“Even though a child is never a curse but is always a blessing, we continue to talk to our people to say let’s try and teach our you ones to wait a bit until they are ready for these gifts so that they become the full joy they are supposed to be,” she said.
In addition Of the new mothers, 49 are girls aged 14-19 years old while 151 are women aged 20 years and older.
Breakdown of babies per district:
• Alfred Nzo: 32
• Amathole: 20
• BCM: 22
• Chris Hani: 22
• Joe Gqabi: 17
• Nelson Mandela Bay: 30
• OR Tambo: 43
• Sarah Baartman: 14
