Johannesburg - The sad reality of babies being left without parents at public hospitals has continued in Gauteng after 119 babies were abandoned last year.
The Gauteng Department of Health, in a written reply to questions in the Gauteng Legislature by the DA’s Jack Bloom, revealed 119 babies were left without parents at public hospitals in 2021.
This is a decrease from the 145 abandoned babies in 2022. However, 56 babies were abandoned in Gauteng hospitals from January to August this year.
According to the department, Thelle Mogoerane Regional Hospital was the worst affected, with 15 abandoned babies last year, 15 babies were abandoned at Tembisa Hospital, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital had 12 abandoned babies last year, 12 babies were abandoned at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, and Leratong Hospital had 11 abandoned babies last year.
Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital had 10 abandoned babies last year, seven babies were abandoned at Far East Rand Hospital, Sebokeng Hospital had seven abandoned babies, six babies were abandoned at Edenvale Hospital, and Mamelodi Hospital had five abandoned babies last year.
Bloom said the hospitals identified the poor socio-economic background of mothers as a major reason for babies being abandoned in their wards.
Other reasons include the following:
• Babies born from broken relationships
• Deliberate furnishing of wrong identifying details by migrant mothers due to fear of deportation
• Babies are born disabled, so mothers abandon them
• Unplanned pregnancies
• Poor support system; fear of rejection by a partner or family
• Teenagers conceal their pregnancies to avoid social stigmatisation
• Sex workers with repeat deliveries
• Admitted substance abuse mothers give birth, then abandon babies because they need a quick fix.
"Missing or wrong contact details for mothers are frequently mentioned by hospitals. Some babies are brought to hospitals after they are dumped in the veld, streets, or dustbins. The Covid pandemic worsened the socio-economic circumstances that lead to abandoned babies," Bloom said.
Bloom, the DA Gauteng spokesperson for Health, said it was clear this is a tragic and multi-faceted issue that needed a variety of preventive measures.
"These measures should include family preservation and better provision of contraceptive services, especially to teenagers. One example given is a doctor at Pholosong hospital who goes to schools to educate teenagers not to fall pregnant," Bloom said.
He added there were worthy NGOs that did good work in this area as well.
"The support options for new mothers at risk should be strengthened and communicated widely so that no mother ever feels forced to leave her child forever," Bloom said.
The Star