By OBAKENG MAJE
22 August 2025- The North West MEC for Health, Sello Lehari visited Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital (JMMH) in Vryburg to commend healthcare workers following the successful and safe delivery of triplets – the first set to be delivered at the facility. Lehari said the babies, two girls and one boy, were delivered on 12 August 2025, through a planned caesarean section by a multi-disciplinary team of doctors and nurses.
He further said the delivery followed weeks of specialist monitoring after the mother, who was referred from a local clinic as a high-risk patient due to hypertension and carrying triplets, received consistent care from the hospital’s Obstetrics and Gynaecology team.
Lehari added that baby 1 (female) was born at 09:02, weighing 2.16kg, while baby 2 (female) was born at 09:03, weighing 1.5kg and baby 3 (male) was born at 09:03, weighing 2.09kg.
“All three babies were safely delivered. While baby 3 briefly required admission for respiratory distress and was discharged after three days, baby 2 remains in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for weight gain.
“Babies 1 and 3 have since been discharged to the care of their maternal grandmother, while their mother remains in the Post-Natal Clinic as a lodger mother and is stable,” he said.
Lehari, accompanied by the Department’s Deputy Director-General for Hospital Services, Polaki Mokatsane, conducted an in-loco-inspection and expressed pride in the professionalism and dedication of the hospital team. He also presented gifts to the proud mother of the triplets.
“The safe delivery of these triplets is a clear demonstration of the commitment and skill of our healthcare professionals.
“As the North West Department of Health, we place the health of mothers and babies at the centre of our work because we know that healthy families form the backbone of sustainable communities,” said Lehari.
He highlighted that such achievements reflect the North West Department of Health’s commitment to strengthening maternal and child health services, ensuring that even high-risk pregnancies receive the necessary specialist attention in public health facilities.
“Our contribution to reducing maternal and child mortality speaks directly to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages especially in pregnant women and postpartum,” he said.
The Guardian 