Story by Fairstars Mukungurutse
As Zimbabweans celebrate the New Year, there is a group of people who are filled with boundless joy that comes with new parenthood.
A few minutes into the New Year celebrations, Mrs Pauline Ngonya from Stoneridge in Harare welcomed a bouncing baby girl, with her child the first baby to be born at Sally Mugabe Hospital in 2025.
“I am very happy because I delivered the first baby here at 00:21 am. I never expected that. I just want to thank God for blessing me with a baby girl,” said Mrs Ngonya.
Overwhelmed with love for their little bundles of joy, the nursing mothers at Parirenyatwa, Sally Mugabe and Chitungwiza Hospitals shared their excitement.
“It has always been my wish to deliver on the first day of the year, I’m very excited. I feel this is the beginning of new things and my year will be blessed,” said a mother.
“I’m so happy because this is my first baby and I have delivered her on New Year,” said another mother.
“I have named my baby Jubilant which means I’m overjoyed. My first baby was a girl and this one is a boy,” said another nursing mother.
To confirm the good omen, hospital matrons confirmed that there were no complications during birth.
“From midnight we had 18 deliveries, two from the cesarean section and 12 normal deliveries. So far we have 11 boys and seven girls and all babies and their mothers are healthy,” said Acting Matron of Mbuya Nehanda Hospital, Pretty Ndaramba.
“Our first baby was through the cesarian section and our second baby was through normal delivery. Of the 20 babies only one was through Caesarian and there were no complications,” said the Matron of Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, Sandra Chipere.
1st of January babies will forever have a unique story to tell as their birthday coincides with the celebration of a new year.
Meanwhile, Johane Masowe Chishanu leader Madzibaba Simbarashe Nengomasha has extended a New Year cheer to nursing mothers at Chitungwiza Hospital by distributing food hampers and baby formula.
