116 ‘Christmas Babies’

One hundred and sixteen babies were delivered at 16 health facilities in the southern part of the country between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.

Unfortunately, two of the babies who were delivered in the Eastern Region did not survive. One hundred and three babies, including a set of twins, were delivered on Christmas Day, 12 on Christmas Eve and one on Boxing Day.

With respect to the sex differentiation, 65 of the babies were males, while 51 were females. In the Western Region, the Effia Nkwanta Hospital recorded four births, made up of two boys and two females, while the Takoradi Hospital recorded three births, two females and a male.

Briefing the Ghana News Agency (GNA) Madam Mary Gyaah, a Nursing Officer at the Effia Nkwanta Hospital, said one of the births on Christmas Day involved a caesarian section.

At the Takoradi Hospital, a nursing officer told the GNA that all the three women who delivered on Christmas Day were not covered by the NHIS and had to pay the full cost of delivery and drugs.

In the Ashanti Region, the Tepa District Hospital recorded three births at the Maternity Unit on Christmas Day. All the babies were females.

According to the midwife, Ms Josephine Odame, the three babies and their mothers were in good health. Forty-three babies were delivered on Christmas Day in four government hospitals in the Kumasi metropolis.

They are the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), the Manhyia, Suntreso and Tafo hospitals. The KATH alone recorded 31 births, comprising 24 males and seven females.

The Suntreso and the Manhyia hospitals recorded five deliveries each on Christmas Day. Two deliveries were also recorded at the Tafo Hospital and, according to Miss Rose Pimah, the Midwifery Officer in charge, they were made up of a male and a female.

The Labour Ward of the Tema General Hospital recorded 17 deliveries on Christmas Day. They included nine females and eight males, with three being delivered through caesarean operation.

In the Eastern Region, the Akyem Oda Government Hospital recorded eight births on Christmas and Boxing days. While seven babies, four females and three males, were born through normal delivery on Christmas Day, one male was delivered through caesarean operation on Boxing Day.

Mrs Cecilia Arthur, the Principal Midwifery Superintendent, told the GNA that all the babies and their mothers were doing well.

Fifteen deliveries, including a set of twins, were recorded at the Nkawkaw Holy Family Hospital and the Kwahu Government Hospital at Atibie in the Kwahu West and South districts respectively on Christmas Day.

Eleven babies, including a set of twins, were delivered at the Holy Family Hospital, while the Kwahu Government Hospital recorded four deliveries.

At the Kwahu Government Hospital, the Nursing Officer in charge of the Labour Ward, Ms Catherine Abankwa, said the babies delivered there were made up of three males and a female, with one death recorded.

In the Volta Region, the Ho Municipal Hospital recorded four births on Christmas Day. The babies, two females and two males, were born in the early hours of Monday.

A total of 19 births were recorded between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day itself in the Cape Coast municipality. They were made up of 12 males and seven females.

Seven males and five females were delivered on Christmas Eve, while five males and two females were delivered on Christmas Day.

At the Cape Coast Regional Hospital, popularly called "Interbeton", Mrs Deborah Opong-Mensa, a senior nurse-midwife, told the GNA that the hospital recorded eight deliveries, including one through caesarian operation, made up of five males and three females, on Christmas Eve.

She said the Hospital also recorded three births, including another through caesarian section, on Christmas Day. They were made up of two males and a female.

Mrs Doris Garchie, a senior midwife, said the University of Cape Coast (UCC) Hospital recorded only one male delivery on Christmas Eve and two births, a male and a female, at noon on Christmas Day.

At the Cape Coast District Hospital, Mrs Florence Quainoo, a nursing officer, said only a baby boy was delivered on Christmas Eve.

Mrs Dorothy Morgue, a senior midwife at the Ewim Urban Health Centre, confirmed that the centre recorded two births on Christmas Eve, both females, while a male was delivered on Christmas Day.