Pretoria - The Gauteng health department has revealed a drastic increase in the number of abandoned babies in the province, with 119 babies left without parents at hospitals last year.
This compares with 145 abandoned babies in 2020, and 56 babies abandoned in Gauteng hospitals from January to August, this year.
These figures were disclosed by the Gauteng health department in a written reply to questions from DA provincial health spokesperson Jack Bloom in the legislature.
Thelle Mogoerane Hospital was the worst affected, with 15 babies abandoned there last year.
Other hospitals with significant numbers include Tembisa Hospital with 13, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital and Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital with 12 each, 11 at Leratong Hospital, Dr George Mukhari Hospital 10, and seven each at the Far East Rand Hospital and Sebokeng.
Edenvale Hospital had six, while Mamelodi Hospital had five. The department said the hospitals all identified the poor socio-economic background of mothers as a major reason for babies being abandoned.
Other reasons include babies born from broken relationships, deliberate furnishing of wrong identifying details by migrant mothers due to fear of deportation, babies born disabled, and unplanned pregnancies.
Others were left due to poor support systems, fear of rejection by partner or family, teenagers concealing their pregnancies to avoid social stigmatisation, sex workers with repeat deliveries, and mothers admitting to substance abuse giving birth, then abandoning their babies because they needed a quick fix.
Missing or wrong contact details for mothers is frequently mentioned by hospitals, while some babies are brought to hospital after being dumped in the veld, on the streets or in dustbins.
“The Covid pandemic worsened the socio-economic circumstances that lead to abandoned babies. This is a tragic, multi-faceted issue, which needs a variety of preventive measures,” said Bloom. “These measures should include family preservation, and better provision of contraceptive services, especially to teenagers.”
Bloom said one example given was a doctor at Pholosong Hospital who goes to schools to educate teenagers not to fall pregnant. There were worthy NGOs that do good work in this area as well. “Support options for new mothers at risk should be strengthened and communicated widely, so no mother ever feels forced to leave her child forever.”
Pretoria News