16 Aug 2018

August is indeed a blessed month for Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital in Francistown as the facility  welcomed triplets and quadruplets respectively.

On August 9, 38-year-old Ms Oakantse Mokenti of Seleka gave birth to three boys at around 545am and named them Thuso, Thato and Thabiso.

Three days later on August 12, Ms Pego Race (34) from Tonota was blessed with quadruplets and named them Tshimologo, Tshenolo, Tshiamo, and Tsholofelo.

Ms Mokenti gave birth normally, while Ms Race gave birth through caesarian section.

The joyful mothers both gave birth to all boys and all the seven babies are doing extremely well.

At the time of going to press, the two mothers were already discharged and awaiting transport to their respective villages.

Ms Mokenti said her children weighed 2kg, 1.9kg and 1.8kg respectively, while for Ms Race, Tshimologo and Tshenolo both weighed 2.7kg, with Tsholofelo weighing 2.8kg, while she was not sure of Tshiamo’s weight, but said doctors told her that he also weighed in at more than 2kg.

The unemployed Ms Mokenti, mother of seven, said she is no stranger to multiple births, revealing that she has a set of twins.

She said it was now a more challenging situation because she is not working and that she will have to look for ‘piece jobs’ after her babies turn one.

She was optimistic that government would assist her because the social worker at Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital had given her a letter to give to the social worker at her home village.

“I think that letter has something to do with my children,” she said.

Ms Mokenti also explained that her lifelong partner is also not working, but praised the Lord that she managed to deliver her babies without any problems.

For Ms Race, it is a sad story as she now has 10 children under her care, four girls and six boys.  She is also not working and depends on ‘piece jobs’ for a living.

However, some of her children who are at junior secondary school, are supported by government under needy students’ scheme. Ms Race, who could not hide her excitement, said at first she did not believe it when the scan from Mahalapye Primary Hospital showed she was pregnant with triplets, but ended up birthing quadruplets.

She was not only blessed with four babies, but is making history as the second woman ever, to birth quadruplets at Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital in more than 10 years. She said when she first heard about the three children, she was always scared, but things returned to normal after she delivered her four babies, making the pregnancy one of her best moments in life.

Ms Race said she would celebrate their birthday in style next year, saying her partner could not believe it when she broke the news to him.

Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital public relations officer, Mr Mojeremane had this to say.

“We therefore request every Motswana to join us (Nyangabgwe staff) in celebrating these special and extraordinary births.

It is a special occasion for the whole team working here and it is a time of great joy to the mothers as well”. ENDS