Over 500 babies were born in South African health facilities on New Year’s Day, with 250 girls’ and 259 boys’ births being recorded between midnight and midday on the first day of 2023.
Foster Mohale, a spokesperson for the national health department, said that the department congratulated the parents of the 509 babies.
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According to Mohale, a 15-year-old girl was among them, giving birth to a baby boy at Port Shepstone Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal.
“In collaboration with various stakeholders, including youth organisations, the department will intensify the sexual reproductive health awareness campaign to improve access to family planning services,” he said.
Mohale said that the collaboration would help solve the problem of teen pregnancies that could have been prevented in South Africa. This would be accomplished by identifying gaps in how young people’s problems are addressed and ways to improve interventions.
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