The Department of Health said more than 500 bundles of joy were born as of midday on Christmas Day.
The department urged the new mothers to prioritise exclusive breastfeeding for at least the first six months to two years of the babies’ life to enable them to achieve optimal growth and development, and enjoy a long, safe, and healthy journey of life.
“The first bundle of joy was a healthy baby girl welcomed at 00h00 at Galeshewe Day Hospital in the Northern Cape, followed by a baby boy delivered at 00h02 at Harry Gwala Regional Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal.
“Then at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital at 00h03 and West End Community Health Centre at 00h04, both in the Eastern Cape.
“Almost 40% of this number of babies were born in Gauteng health facilities, followed by KwaZulu-Natal facilities,” read a statement from the department.
In the North West, 31 babies were born by 10.30am on Christmas Day, 18 boys and 13 girls.
“The Ngaka Modiri Molema had the biggest number at 11, followed by Bojanala at eight, Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati has seven babies and Dr Kenneth Kaunda has five babies.
The first baby in the province was born at Job Shimankana Tabane Hospital in Rustenburg, an African baby boy born at 00.15am.
We are happy that both the mums and their babies are in good condition, and we wish them well,” said Provincial health department spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane.
He highlighted that the youngest mother in the province is 15 years old and both the mother and baby are in a stable condition. In Gauteng, 194 babies were born, 103 boys and 91 girls.
Forty-one babies were born at academic hospitals, 20 at tertiary hospitals, regional and district hospitals 84, and 49 at community healthcare centres.
The department of health has appealed to all mothers and caregivers to ensure their newborns remain up to date with immunisations 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.
The department added that it is also important for parents to ensure that babies are registered for birth certificates within 30 days after birth to avoid late registrations.
