According to the Department of Health, more than 500 babies were born on Christmas Day in South Africa in 2023
The first bundle of joy was a healthy baby girl born at Galeshewe Day Hospital in the Northern Cape at midnight, followed by a baby boy born at Harry Gwala Regional Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal at 12:02am.
A minute later, at 12:03am, another baby was born at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in the Eastern Cape, and a minute after that, at 12:04am, a fourth baby was born at West End Community Health Centre in the Eastern Cape.
Almost 40% of all babies born on Christmas Day were born in Gauteng health facilities, with KwaZulu-Natal health facilities producing the next largest batch.
The Health Department has reminded mothers to prioritize exclusive breastfeeding for at least the first six months to two years of their babies’ lives in order to ensure optimal growth and development, as well as a long, safe, and healthy journey through life.
In a statement, the department also urged all mothers and caregivers to keep their newborns up to date on immunizations as recommended by the Road-to-Health Booklet, also known as the clinic card, to protect them from potentially fatal childhood diseases like polio, measles, and smallpox.
“It is also critical for parents to ensure that babies are registered for birth certificates within 30 days of birth to avoid late registrations,” said Foster Mohale, a department spokesperson.
As part of the government’s efforts to promote early birth registration, the Department of Home Affairs has established 161 offices at public hospitals and selected clinics to make it easier for parents to register their children within 30 days.
In collaboration with various stakeholders in the health sector, the department also launched the Side-by-Side campaign and the MomConnect initiative to assist mothers in ensuring that all children under the age of five receive the nurturing care they require to survive and thrive.
