Gauteng recorded 387 births on New Year's Day — 31 of the babies were born to teenagers aged between 15 and 19.
Of the babies born in the province, 195 were male and 192 female. Ninety-five of the mothers were foreigners.
Gauteng health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said: “On the issue of teenage mothers: this remains a concern for us and hence the Gauteng MEC for health and wellness has launched a strategy to tackle this phenomenon of teenagers falling pregnant. The strategy is about mobilising all sectors of society and ensuring the necessary education is given not only to teenagers but society as a whole.”
The issue of teenage pregnancy has been in the spotlight after a 28-year-old man was arrested for alleged statutory rape after a 13-year-old gave birth on Christmas Day.
The national health department has also expressed alarm about teenage pregnancies. Spokesperson Foster Mohale said: “The department is concerned with teenage girls who continue to be counted among these mothers, including a 12-year-old mother in the Eastern Cape. The department welcomes the swift response by Eastern Cape MEC Ntandokazi Capa to initiate an investigation into the circumstances which resulted in the pregnancy of this first mother of the year.”
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LISTEN | Of 387 babies born in Gauteng on New Year's Day, 31 were to teens between 15 and 19
Image: 123RF/ sam74100
Gauteng recorded 387 births on New Year's Day — 31 of the babies were born to teenagers aged between 15 and 19.
Of the babies born in the province, 195 were male and 192 female. Ninety-five of the mothers were foreigners.
Gauteng health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said: “On the issue of teenage mothers: this remains a concern for us and hence the Gauteng MEC for health and wellness has launched a strategy to tackle this phenomenon of teenagers falling pregnant. The strategy is about mobilising all sectors of society and ensuring the necessary education is given not only to teenagers but society as a whole.”
The issue of teenage pregnancy has been in the spotlight after a 28-year-old man was arrested for alleged statutory rape after a 13-year-old gave birth on Christmas Day.
The national health department has also expressed alarm about teenage pregnancies. Spokesperson Foster Mohale said: “The department is concerned with teenage girls who continue to be counted among these mothers, including a 12-year-old mother in the Eastern Cape. The department welcomes the swift response by Eastern Cape MEC Ntandokazi Capa to initiate an investigation into the circumstances which resulted in the pregnancy of this first mother of the year.”
Listen:
In total, about 780 babies were delivered in Gauteng health facilities on Christmas Day and New Year Day.
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