WATCH | Gauteng welcomes 203 New Year babies, expands NICU at Chris Hani Baragwanath

Gauteng

Cape Town – Gauteng public healthcare facilities delivered 203 babies on New Year’s Day, comprising 105 boys and 98 girls born between midnight and noon.

Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, visited Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital to celebrate the arrivals and distribute baby essential gift packages.

“Academic hospitals delivered 31 babies mostly from Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital with 20 babies, followed by Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital and Steve Biko Academic Hospital with four deliveries each,” the Gauteng Department of Health said.

It added: “The department continues to urge all the mothers to ensure that the birth of their newly born babies are registered with the Department of Home Affairs offices that are in-house at health facilities across the province.”

The department encouraged mothers to register births with in-house Home Affairs offices and prioritise immunisation and exclusive breastfeeding for their infants’ health and immunity.

“As we celebrate the arrival of new life, it is imperative to highlight the vital role of immunization and exclusive breastfeeding in safeguarding the health of infants. All parents must prioritise immunisation to protect their children from preventable diseases.

“Similarly, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months provides essential nutrients and strengthens their immune systems,” said  Nkomo-Ralehoko.

Additionally, the MEC inaugurated a newly expanded 12-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) equipped with modern facilities to address overcrowding and reduce infection risks.

The NICU upgrade is part of an infrastructure programme to enhance neonatal care quality across the province.

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