Busiswa Ndima, a mother of twins born on Christmas Day, was one of the women who gave birth to 196 babies at public health facilities in the Eastern Cape on Christmas Day.
According to a statement by the Eastern Cape Department of Health, the first baby arrived at 00:02 at Madwaleni Hospital.
“It was a special delivery for Ndima who was also born on Christmas Day in 1990. “Fewer Christmas babies were born this year compared to last year when 221 were born in the province on December 25,” the statement revealed.
The statement noted that out of the 196 babies, 99 were boys while 97 were girls.
Eastern Cape MEC for Health Ntandokazi Capa visited St Elizabeth Hospital in Lusikisiki on December 25, where she distributed care packs for the newborns.
“We congratulate the mothers and health professionals on successfully bringing these precious gifts from God to earth.
“We celebrate these bundles of joy because any day a child is born is always a good day. It is more special when a child is born on Christmas Day.
“We encourage all the mothers to exclusively breastfeed at least for the first six months of their children’s lives. We are also grateful to the team of doctors, midwives, and nurses and other healthcare workers who ensured the babies were delivered safely.”
