2006-01-10Staff Report 2 By Wezi Tjaronda WINDHOEK WHILE the whole world celebrated Christmas and the New Year, hundreds of mothers throughout Namibia celebrated in a different fashion, after receiving their new- born babies on these two important days. A few hours into the New Year, a baby boy was born to Selma Nakashololo at the Katutura State Hospital. When New Era visited the hospital on Sunday afternoon, five babies had been born. Most of the mothers were lying on their hospital beds, of course exhausted from the pains that are associated with childbirth. At the three Windhoek hospitals with maternity facilities, namely, Katutura, Windhoek Central and Medi Clinic, 43 babies were born. The Katutura Hospital recorded the highest number of births with 26 babies born, 17 on Christmas and nine on New Year's Day. At Windhoek Central Hospital, nine Christmas babies and six New Year babies were born bringing the total number of babies born to 15, while Medi Clinic, the only private hospital that provides maternity services in Windhoek, received two babies, one on Christmas Day and one on New Year's Day. Some of the hospitals such as Welwitschia Private Hospital in Walvis Bay and Okahandja recorded no births at all, while others such as Rundu State Hospital had 21 babies on both days, Christmas and New Year. At Karasburg, two babies were born, one on Christmas and the other on New Year's Day. At Mariental and LÃÆ'Æ'Æ'ÃÆ''šÃ‚¼deritz hospitals, no babies were born on New Year's Day while two babies were born at each of the hospitals. In Rehoboth, three babies were born on New Year's Day while two were born on Christmas. At Otjiwarongo hospital, ten babies in total were born - five on Christmas and five on New Year. Nurses at Oshakati hospital could only remember that eight babies were born on New Year's Day but could not provide the number of babies that were born on Christmas. 2006-01-10Staff Report 2
