MORE than 28 babies were born on Christmas Day in Bulawayo’s various maternity institutions.
LUYANDUHLOBO MAKWATI OWN CORRESPONDENT
Mpilo Central Hospital recorded the highest births with 18 followed by the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) with eight and Mater Dei Hospital with two.
No statistics could be obtained from council health institutions as they referred all inquiries to the city’s public relations department saying they were the only people authorised to comment on municipal issues.
The matron on duty at Mpilo yesterday said of the 18 babies born at the hospital, two were through Caesarian delivery and one through vacuum extraction, but they were all healthy.
A vacuum extraction, which is also known as assisted delivery, is a procedure where a healthcare worker applies the vacuum, which is a soft or rigid cup with a handle and a vacuum pump, to the baby’s head to help guide the baby out of the birth canal. This is typically done if the mother has been in labour for a long time and is tired, or if the baby is nearly out, but the heart rate is “not reassuring”.
She said out of the 18, 10 were girls and eight boys.
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The UBH matron on duty, Pauline Makuyane, said the eight babies born on Christmas Day included four boys and four girls. The father of one of the two babies born at Mater Dei Hospital, William Muchambwa, said he was elated that his wife had given birth to their second child on a special day.
Most Christians believe that Jesus was born on that day.
Meanwhile, 119 births were recorded at Harare’s major hospitals on Christmas Day. Harare Hospital was the busiest with 42 children being born on the day, followed by Parirenyatwa which had 29. West End Hospital had two such special babies. At Harare Hospital 20 boys and 22 girls were delivered.
