2022 welcomes its first babies

As the world welcomed the New Year with joy and celebrations, families also welcomed their babies on New Year's Day either as first-time parents or an addition to the family.

With the Ghana Health Service and a major stakeholder such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) yet to confirm the total number of children born on New Year's Day, some health facilities across the country have confirmed that they delivered babies as they joined the world to welcome their first babies of 2022.

Daily Graphic reporters on their rounds reported that 345 babies, including sets of twins were recorded as having been delivered at the various health facilities across the country.

Korle Bu, Ridge

Rebecca Quaicoe Duho reports that a total of 41 babies were born on New Year’s Day at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge) and the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

At the Ridge Hospital, 15 babies were born with the first baby being born at 12:45 on January 1, 2022.

Twelve of the babies were delivered through Spontaneous Vaginal Delivery (SVD) and three put to birth through Caesarean Section (CS).

The Postnatal In charge (Annex) of the hospital, Mrs. Edrina Ocquaye, who briefed the Daily Graphic said all the babies were doing well, and had so far been discharged without complications.

According to her, some mothers came to deliver and no one followed up to check up on them, such people, she said, were normally not able to pay their bills and needed support from the general public.

The KBTH on the other hand, recorded 26 births with 10 being through CS and the remaining 16 was via SVD.

Bundle of blessings

From Koforidua, Haruna Yussif Wunpini reports that a total of 30 babies were delivered at the Eastern Regional Hospital at Koforidua.

The babies comprised 11 males and 19 females.

In all, there were 23 normal deliveries and seven births through CS.

The Senior Staff Midwife in charge of Shift at the Labour Ward, Mrs. Hannah Yeboah, said most women who delivered on festive occasions considered that to be a blessing.

Biiya Mukusah Ali reports from, SUNYANI that a set of twins was among the 40 babies that were delivered at four hospitals in Sunyani on January 1, 2022.

The health facilities included the Sunyani Regional Hospital, Sunyani Municipal Hospital, Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Hospital and the Owusu Memorial Hospital.

The 40 babies were made up of 18 males and 22 females.

At the Sunyani Regional Hospital, 17 babies, consisting of seven males and 10 females were delivered on Christmas Day.

Out of the 17 babies born at the Sunyani Regional Hospital, 10 were delivered through spontaneous vagina delivery (SVD), while seven were through CS.

At the same facility, seven babies made up of three males and four females were delivered on Friday, January 1, 2022.

Out of the seven, five were born through CS, while two were through SVD.

The twins were born at the facility.

The ages of the lactating mothers range from 21 to 36.

Also at the Sunyani Municipal Hospital, four births, comprising two females and two males were recorded on Christmas Day, while four babies made up of two males and two females were delivered on January 1, 2022.

At the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital, two male babies were delivered through CS on Christmas Day, while three babies made up of two females and a male were born on January 1, 2022.

At the Owusu Memorial Hospital at Sunyani Newtown, one male was delivered on Christmas Day, while two females were born on Friday, January 1, 2022.

Report early

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Midwife in charge of the Sunyani Regional Hospital, Ms. Susan Tiwaa, advised expectant mothers to report early to the antenatal clinic.

That, according to her, would help early detection and treatment of any abnormal development during pregnancy.

Ms. Tiwaa also encouraged them to visit any health facilities closer to them when they were not feeling well.

She also advised mothers who had undergone CS to visit hospital regularly to avoid complications.

From KUMASI Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor reports that the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi recorded a total of 21 babies on Christmas Day made up of 12 females and nine boys.

The deliveries included a set of twins and 14 of the deliveries were through CS.

On January 1, 2022, the facility recorded a total of 24 deliveries.

However, three of them did not survive. While one was a stillbirth, the other two were intrauterine fetal demise (IUFD) and they were all through C/Sections.

IUFD is the medical term for a child who dies in utero after the 20th week of pregnancy in the second trimester.

Joy, gifts for babies

From Wa, Emmanuel Modey reports that 42 babies were recorded on New Year’s Day in three hospitals in the Upper West Region (UWR).

They included two sets of twins.

According to the Medical Director of the Regional Hospital, Dr. Robert Amesiya, most of the births were delivered through CS.

He gave the breakdown of the births as 18 at the Regional Hospital, 17 at Nadowli-Kaleo and five at the Jirapa District Hospitals.

Savanna’s care centres

With five newborn care centres inaugurated by the Ghana Health Service with technical support from UNICEF and funding from China AID, in the Savanna Region, the facilities welcomed their first New Year babies.

The newborn care centres have been established in Walewale, Chereponi, Binde and Nalerigu in North East Region, and Salaga in the Savanna Region.

In all, over 90 babies were delivered and they were welcomed with a symbolic gesture where their first foot prints were taken.

Cape Coast

Twelve babies born on Christmas Day at two separate health facilities in Cape Coast have been presented with hampers to signify the love shown during the season, reports Edith Mensah.