Lerato Mbhiza
THE Gauteng province has welcomed about 200 Christmas babies born at its provincial hospitals across the province and Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has sent her congratulations to the parents.
Nurses and doctors had a hectic time when the babies were born between 12am and 12pm midday on Christmas Day and as is the norm, Nkomo-Ralehoko presented the mothers and their babies with gifts.
“We have made a commitment as the Gauteng Provincial Government to ensure that our townships, informal settlements and hostels (TISH) communities are prioritized in all government programmes.
@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,” said Nkomo-Ralehoko.
The Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital delivered 22 babies, Steve Biko Academic Hospital 7 babies, Tembisa Hospital – 16 babies, Kalafong, 4 babies, while regional and district hospitals delivered 81 babies and Community Healthcare Centres delivered 49 babies.
In a statement, the Department of Health urged all mothers and caregivers to ensure their newborns remain up-to-date with immunizations 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,” said the department’s spokesperson Foster Mohale.
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 also 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.
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