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KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu-Simelane Zulu.
- By mid-afternoon on Friday, 100 babies, 52 girls and 48 boys, had been born in KZN.
- Four of the mothers who gave birth were under 18 years of age.
- The province’s bed occupancy was 2,918 patients on Friday.
The KwaZulu-Natal health department has expressed concern for teenage mothers, as Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu welcomed Christmas babies.
At a virtual event on Friday, Simelane-Zulu said that of the babies born on Christmas Day, four were to mothers under the age of 18.
“We are concerned that we have had at least four mothers under the age of 18. Two 16-year-old mothers gave birth at Dundee and Bethesda hospitals, respectively. Two 17-year-old mothers gave birth at Benedictine Hospital,” Simelane said. -Zulu.
“One of the babies was fathered by a 26-year-old man, revealing an age difference of nine years. Keep in mind that the 17-year-old mother would have been a little over 16 when she got pregnant,” she added.
By mid-afternoon on Friday, 100 babies, 52 girls and 48 boys, had been born in the province.
“Ms. Fikile Mnguni, 34, delivered her first Christmas baby at Mseleni Hospital shortly after midnight,” Simelane-Zulu said.
The MEC also took the opportunity to thank the healthcare workers for their hard work.
“I would like to begin by thanking our entire front line as well as the support staff for the incredible courage, dedication and hard work they have shown over the course of this year, and which they continue to do,” said Simelane-Zulu. .
Meanwhile, the province’s bed occupancy was 2918 patients.
“The province currently has 2,918 patients admitted to hospitals, both in the public sector (989) and in the private sector (1929). Of those admitted, 14% required intensive care services,” he said.
“Of the total number of operational beds available (1,485), 41% were vacant, while 355 of the ICU beds are occupied,” he added.
