CHRISTMAS BABIES: Chawama member of Parliament Edgar Lungu presents a Christmas hamper to Joyce Phiri at Chawama Clinic in Lusaka yesterday. The Christmas gifts were donated by Lions Club of Mulungushi. – Picture by CHANDA MWENYA.
By MAYENGO NYIRENDA
MINISTER of Defence Edgar Lungu has urged women to take babies to the under-five clinics to ensure their good health.
He said health childcare must continue beyond the support the babies get soon after birth.
“Take good care of these children, they are our future leaders. Make sure that you don’t miss under-five clinic,’ he said.
Mr Lungu, who is also Chawama member of Parliament (MP), said this when he officiated at a Lions Club of Mulungushi’s donation of medical equipment and baby hampers worth over K10,000 at Chawama Mini-Hospital in Lusaka yesterday.
The minister said he will continue working together with the community in order to develop Chawama.
Lions Club of Mulungushi president Addie Musakanya said the club donates annually to the maternity ward of the mini-hospital to help ease the needs of the needy in communities.
She also urged the mothers to use the donated items for the benefit of the babies.
The donation included a ward screen, blood pressure machine, baby scale, a bedside stool, baby tubs, clothes, food and milk.
Sister-in-charge Evelyn Nkhata thanked the minister and Lions Club of Mulungushi for the donation to the clinic and Christmas babies.
By midday, 12 babies had been born at the health centre.
Earlier, Mr Lungu visited Cheshire Homes for the Aged where he donated household items worth more than K1,000.
Mr Lungu toured the premises and also chatted with the elderly.
In Livingstone, CHAMPO MUYEMBE reports that seven babies, including a set of twins, were born at Livingstone General Hospital.
Nursing officer Loveness Chikumbi said all the seven babies are in good health and responding well to their new environment.
Ms Chikumbi said this after Livingstone Mayor Aggrey Njekwa gave baby hampers to the mothers.
Mr Njekwa said the city is delighted to record such a number of new babies on such a special day.
He thanked the Salvation Army for having supplemented the Livingstone City Council with the baby hampers.
Mr Njekwa has also appealed to the Government to consider reinstating the fired nurses countrywide because they might have not known the proper channels to follow before going on strike.
In Ndola, MONICA KAYOMBO reports that five babies were born at Ndola Central Hospital.
The hospital’s public relations manager Sheona Chalimbana said this when Ndola mayor Davies Chiwala visited the postnatal ward to hand gifts to mothers of the newborn babies.
In Kitwe, NKOMBO KACHEMBA reports that Kitwe Central Hospital (KCH) has recorded five Christmas babies with the first one being born at 00:32 hours.
Kitwe mayor Chileshe Bweupe presented baby hampers to the Christmas babies at the hospital in Kalungwishi and Luena wards.
KCH senior medical superintendent John Mwewa said two boys and three girls were born.
The hospital also recorded 23 casualties, one rape case and two gender-based violence (GBV) cases on Christmas Eve.
In Mbala, ZANIS reports that Minister of Health Joseph Kasonde says Government is committed to improving the maternal and child health standards in the country.
Dr. Kasonde said this when he presented gifts to Christmas babies born at Mbala General Hospital yesterday.
He said Government has put in place measures such as the construction of maternity wings across the country in order to allow expectant mothers to access quality health care.
He has encouraged expectant mothers to go to health centres for delivery instead of giving birth at their homes.
In Chingola, NKWETO MFULA reports that four Christmas babies – three boys and a girl – were born at Chiwempala Clinic.
Chingola district commissioner George Sichula presented various gifts that were donated by United Church of Zambia (UCZ) Chiwempala congregation worth over K6,000.
Mr Sichula called on other churches to emulate the UCZ in donating and presenting such gifts.
Mr Sichula was accompanied by Reverend Andrew Chulu, who said the church did not want to confine Christmas to church but to celebrate with other people.
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