Pretoria - A total of 373 babies were born in Gauteng on New Year’s Day, starting at midnight on December 31 and ending a minute before the 24-hour period ran out.
Eleven children were born at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital, of which five are boys and six girls.
The Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital also welcomed 11 babies, this time with seven boys and four girls, while the George Mukhari Hospital had 16 deliveries – nine males and seven females.
The stork was especially busy at the Chris Baragwanath Academic hospital, where it delivered 24 babies – 14 boys and 10 girls.
Tertiary hospitals in Gauteng, meanwhile, saw a total of 49 babies born during this time – 24 boys and 25 girls.
The Kalafong Hospital in Pretoria West welcomed 14 babies, including a set of twins. Eight of these babies are boys and six girls, while Tembisa Hospital was very busy, with 35 births during this time, with 16 boys and 19 girls.
Gauteng Health MEC Dr Nomathemba Mokhethi encouraged all pregnant and breastfeeding women to get vaccinated against Covid-19 to protect themselves and their families from severe illness, hospitalisation or death in the event that they contracted coronavirus.
“I want to take this opportunity to wish a happy and prosperous new year to all the parents who welcomed their babies,” said Mokgethi.
Lerato Makunyane said delivering a baby on January 1 was such a blessing and it is indeed a happy new year for her and her family.
“We had long been waiting because we were expecting her to be delivered at least by December 29.
She delivered her baby daughter called Thembelihle Ntuli at the Mediclinic Medforum Hospital in Pretoria.
“With the names we have given her, this year will bring us nothing but goodness and prosperity in all aspects,” the 24-year-old said.
Mashudu Ranku, 39, who also gave birth on New Year’s Day at the same hospital, said her baby is a blessing because he came on the first day of the first month. She called her baby boy Reatlegile Maifala. “I think God decided he will be the first blessing for the new year,” she said.
Pretoria News