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George Maponga, Masvingo Bureau
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa yesterday once again showed the enduring love of a mother after she visited Masvingo Provincial Hospital maternity wing and donated baby preparation kits to seven mothers who delivered yesterday.
Four girls and three boys who were born yesterday, on President Mnangagwa’s birthday, were feted by the First Lady who donated baby layette to them.
The stunned mothers were left spellbound by the First Lady’s act of generosity after the mother of the nation detoured from a programme at the Great Zimbabwe monument, where President Mnangagwa was headlining Munhumutapa Day launch celebrations, and made an impromptu visit to Masvingo General Hospital maternity wing.
One of the seven women who received the unexpected donation from the First Lady could not contain her joy after receiving sets of baby clothes from the First Lady for her triplets.
The mother of the nation showed once again that the plight of others is always close to her heart after she undertook to make sure all the babies who received layette from her will continue to be catered for in a confirmation of a bond watered by natural motherly love.
Speaking after handing over the baby sets to the mothers and wishing them well after, the First Lady said she decided to bless the newly borns at Masvingo Provincial Hospital because they shared the same birthday with the President.
“I decided to briefly leave the programme at the Great Zimbabwe monument where we as the Zimbabwean family are celebrating President Mnangagwa’s birthday so that I could come here and also do something for the babies who were born today (September 15) because they share the same birthday with the President,” said Dr Mnangagwa.
“The President turned 82 today and these babies are special because they share the same birthday with the President, so I just said let me go there and leave something for them. Seven mothers received baby clothes today.”
Dr Mnangagwa said September 15 would always remain a special day for her, hence the decision to donate to newly born babies at Masvingo General Hospital.
“I came here (Masvingo General Hospital maternity wing) to say congratulations to the mothers who gave birth today, September 15, because this day is very special to us as a family and especially to me and these newly born babies, four girls and three boys will forever remain special.
“I came here today ( yesterday) at a time when the whole nation is down there at the grounds (Great Zimbabwe monument) celebrating the President’s birthday and I decided to come and congratulate these mothers for giving birth, you know mothers who give birth must be congratulated and so I came to congratulate them, to give them warmth, to give them strength,” she said. Among the seven women who gave birth yesterday were first-timers, and the First Lady said she had come to personally congratulate them for their new feat as most of them were also still fairly young.
The mother of the nation also gave the first-timers a few tips about personal hygiene as she laughed and congratulated them from the bedsides where she also took time to carry some of the new bundles of joy much to the delight of their stunned and overwhelmed mothers.
Personal hygiene, according to the First Lady, was important as it guaranteed a healthy upbringing for newborns.
Dr Mnangagwa said giving birth was a “do-or-die” experience which was also painful and taxing hence the importance of sharing joy with the mothers while also thanking God for the new blessings.
The First Lady took all the names and particulars of the September 15 babies that she visited at Masvingo General Hospital and pledged to continue nurturing the special bond that has been developed between her and them to make sure that they all get the requisite assistance to be successful in life. One of the women who received layette from the First Lady, Mrs Ketina Mapuwei of Gutu, who gave birth to a baby girl, said she was overwhelmed by Dr Mnangagwa’s gesture.
“This girl is my fourth born and I don’t know what to say because I never expected this visit from the mother of the nation, it shows that she is a caring mother who has everyone, especially us mothers, at heart. I am very, very happy,” she said.
This was also said by Mrs Talent Zvoushe of Chivi who also gave birth to a baby girl.
“I never thought I would see a day like this in my life, I am very happy, I want to thank the First Lady for her gesture of love and kindness, my newborn child now has clothes, I can only thank God,” said Mrs Zvoushe.
Masvingo Provincial Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Noel Zulu also paid glowing tribute to the First Lady for a blessing visit to the institution.
“The First Lady’s visit is inspirational to both the mothers who gave birth at this hospital today and also to the staff that work here because they know that they have been remembered and what they are doing is appreciated by the Mother of the Nation,” he said.
“The visit by the First Lady gives us that added push to continue to do more, working hard to deliver life like the 7 new lives that have been delivered today.”
Dr Zulu said as an institution that is evolving into a university teaching hospital, the visit by the First Lady was a seal of approval for the good work at Masvingo Provincial Hospital as part of the health service delivery machinery that is a key ingredient in the Vision 2030 pot.
Online Reporter