Stork rings in year with double delight
IT WAS double the bundle for the stork’s first new arrivals mission of 2015 in Nelson Mandela Bay.
A clearly hasty pair of twins – born five weeks premature at a Uitenhage hospital – were the first of 89 babies born in public hospitals around the Eastern Cape on New Year’s Day.
Eastern Cape Health Department spokesman Siyanda Manana said there were 47 girls and 42 boys born in the province’s state hospitals.
The twins’ proud mom, Fnam Vuyokazi, 36, had to undergo a C-section at Uitenhage Provincial Hospital with the first twin being born at one minute past midnight weighing 1.7kg, Manana said.
“The second twin was born a minute later, weighing 1.8kg,” he said.
The stork was very busy in the early hours, with 37 of the New Year’s babies delivered before 10am.
Life Health Care Border-Kei and Port Elizabeth, regional manager Bruce Janssens said: “What a wonderful way to start the new year. Congratulations to the parents of these little lives – we wish you many more happy celebrations with your bundles of joy!”
Unit manager for the labour unit at Life St George’s Hospital, Pauline Kieck, said the stork kept them on their feet all day on New Year’s Day, with 13 babies being born there.
“Our first New Year’s baby was born at 4.18am and the last one at 11.59pm, just before midnight,” she added.
Greenacres and Life Mercantile in Port Elizabeth each reported one New Year’s baby born, a baby girl at Greenacres at 2.25am and a boy at Mercantile at 7.35pm.