Multiple pregnancies are regarded as risky and deliveries are done at hospitals under doctors' supervision. But nurses at the Masisi Clinic in Musina, Limpopo took the risk by helping a mother who was in labour and successfully delivered quadruplets. The undocumented Zimbabwean woman walked into the clinic after nurses closed the clinic at 5pm. Spokesperson for the Department of Health in Limpopo Neil Shikwambana said a midwife who was on her way out of the clinic went back to help the heavily pregnant woman only to find that she was in labour.

NO HISTORY OF ANTENATAL CARE

According to Shikwambana the clinic did not have any records of the woman's pregnancy. "The brave midwife together with her staff rose to the occasion and took the necessary risk and successfully delivered the four babies," Shikwambana said.The first baby to be born weighed 2.08 kg at birth, 1.8 kg for the second and third and 1.2 kg for the fourth baby. The mother and all the babies were transferred to the nearest Donald Fraser Hospital, where the fourth baby was admitted in the nursery due to low weight.

MIDWIFE PRAISED FOR THE DELIVERY

Health MEC in the province Dr Phophi Ramathuba congratulated the midwife and the nurses who participated in the delivery."Looking at the complexity of the process they underwent in order to deliver these children, we are really proud of their dedication. Also, the fact that the nurses had knocked off but had to go back to be on duty just to assist this one pregnant woman also needs to be commended. Contrary to the popular narration, our nurses aren't all heartless," said MEC. Previously the MEC came under the spotlight when she confronted an undocumented patient at a Limpopo Hospital for taking up resources that could have been used for a South African citizen.