The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
AT least 67 babies were born on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day in five of the province’s major hospitals.
Sakubva District Hospital recorded the highest number with 28 babies, followed by Hauna District Hospital which had 14 babies.
Old Mutare Mission Hospital had 12 babies for both days, the province’s referral hospital, Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital recorded nine babies, while Bonda Mission Hospital delivered only four babies.
Mutare District Medical Officer, Dr David Muchirewese said of the five examined major hospitals in the province, Sakubva District Hospital topped holiday births which include Christmas and New Year’s days.
“Of our 28 babies, 15 were Christmas babies as they were born on Christmas Day, while 13 were delivered on New Year’s Day. On Christmas Day, we had three Caesarean Sections and 12 normal deliveries. Girls topped our Christmas Day deliveries as we had 11, while boys were only three.
“On New Year’s Day, we had three Caesarean Section deliveries and 10 normal deliveries. This time around, boys topped our deliveries as they were nine, compared to only four girls delivered on the same day,” he said.
Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital’s Medical Superintendent, Dr Jaensch Dorcas Masanga-Mutede said the hospital only recorded three Christmas births, with one being female and two males.
“All three babies were healthy. Two were delivered by Caesarean Section, while one was delivered through normal delivery. On New Year’s Day, we delivered one boy and five girls. They were all healthy. It was a slight decrease from last year’s holidays when we delivered 10 babies, six on Christmas Day and four on January 1, 2022. It is, however, important to note that all of them were healthy as well,” she said.
Mutasa District Medical Officer, Dr Cephas Fonte said 2022’s holiday births surpassed 2021’s as there was an increase on mothers who delivered on both days.
“During the previous holidays of 2021, we had only 15 babies born in the three hospitals in Mutasa District. We had 10 babies born on Christmas Day and only five were born on New Year’s Day. However, this past holiday, we delivered 30 babies from all three hospitals. It was a significant increase from the previous holiday births,” he said.
Topping the births from all the five hospitals were females as a total of 34 girls were born, while boys were 33.
One of the interviewed mothers, Mrs Rugare Madhikondi of Marange, said she felt blessed to have delivered her baby on Christmas Day as they will be double celebrations for her family and loved ones on this day in the coming years.
“This surely is a blessing. When we celebrate Christmas Day from now onwards, we will also be celebrating my son’s birthday. Since I am a Christian, having my son share the same birthday with Jesus Christ is a big blessing. I believe he will grow up into a prayerful man who will follow Christ’s footsteps,” she said.
