Thumbs up for Bethesda Hospital
The 82-year-old hospital handled 1 722 births in one year with zero deaths
KZN Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, has praised Bethesda Hospital in Obanjeni in the uMkhanyakude District for having recorded no maternal deaths in the past financial year.
The 82-year-old hospital handled 1 722 births in one year with zero deaths.
At the end of June, the number of mothers who lost their lives during childbirth stood at 62 across the province.
‘Maternal and child health are among the key health indicators and priorities of the South African government. In KwaZulu-Natal, the rate of in-facility maternal mortality has been reduced from 245 in 2017 to 204 in 2018.
‘This is largely thanks to the promotion of early antenatal care for pregnant mothers, which ensures that underlying health challenges are detected and acted upon early,’ MEC Simelane-Zulu said.
She also commended the hospital for being the first in the uMkhanyakude district to introduce the human milk bank project in 2017, which is already running at 17 other hospitals in the province.
Recipients of human breast milk include vulnerable pre-term and sick babies and special cases whereby mothers are unable to supply sufficient milk for their babies.
‘Professionals, particularly in the health sector, are often demonised for not doing a good job, and when we are able to find a good story to tell, we must appreciate the work that they do.
‘This is one of the hospitals that have managed to complete a whole year without losing a single mother.
‘We hope that they will maintain this standard,’ the MEC said.
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