North West welcomes New Year’s bundles of joy

North West Health MEC Sello Lehari has congratulated all the mothers who gave birth to new bundles of joy on New Year’s Day. Twenty-seven babies were born between midnight and 10H00am across the province and the number expected to increase. Speaking to Newsnote, Lehari said between midnight and 06h00 sixteen babies were born in the province. “Six were born in Bojanala, two in Ngaka Modiri Molema, six in Dr Kenneth Kaunda and two in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipalities.We have 17 boys and ten girls,” said Lehari. The MEC visited the new mothers at public health facilities in the Bojanala District and gave them gifts. He started his visit at Job Shimankame Tabane Hospital in Rustenburg before proceeding to Brits District Hospital. Lehari said he chose the two facilities because he wanted to compare their ability in helping women to deliver babies. During his visit at Rustenburg, there was only one baby girl born at the facility. Meanwhile, Lehari has warned that actions will be taken against men who impregnate underage girls should there be a young mother among those who gave birth on New Year’s Day. “For now, as the province we don’t have that challenge.But if it happens that we have that case, we will advise their families and if there’s proof, a case will be opened, and the law will take its course,” warned Lehari. In addition, the MEC assured that challenges faced by patients at health facilities will be addressed. He said service delivery issues including the distribution of medicine, shortages of doctors, nurses and long queues will soon be history.