Mowbray Maternity Hospital Receives Knitted Caps and Blanket Donation from Germany | Western Cape Government

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Mowbray Maternity Hospital Receives Knitted Caps and Blanket Donation from Germany

6 March 2011

Each year, 21 000 newborn babies die in South Africa. This amounts to 57 deaths each day. Many of these babies are born prematurely.

Smaller (premature) babies are unable to regulate their temperatures and require additional care to keep them warm, such as wearing a cap and Kangaroo Mother Care. More than half of these newborn lives could be saved if well-known solutions such as keeping small babies warm and infection-free are implemented.

Today, Mowbray Maternity Hospital received a generous donation of hand-knitted baby caps and blankets which have been knitted by concerned German citizens for distribution to South African hospitals in Kwa-Zulu Natal, Limpopo and the Western Cape. Each cap is labeled with a German message: "eine mütze voll leben", meaning "a hat full of life".

The "Knit one, save one" campaign was launched in the United States of America, United Kingdom, Korea and Germany, resulting in hundreds of thousands of baby caps that Save the Children has been distributing in its health projects.

The Western Cape Minister of Health, Theuns Botha, expressed his appreciation for the contribution made to Mowbray Maternity Hospital. "We are extremely thankful for the generous donation made to the mothers and babies born at this facility. We will ensure that these gifts are distributed to less fortunate mothers and babies who are in need of blankets and knitted caps. These are the kind of contributions and levels of care that government is unable to provide."

The knitted caps have been a powerful way to raise awareness for newborn survival and to encourage the public to care about keeping babies alive. Everyone has a role to play in ensuring the best care for South Africa's future. Mothers and healthcare workers together can save the lives of these babies.

About Save the Children:
Save the Children is a non-profit organization working in over 100 countries. Their mission is to improve the survival and well-being for children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. In addition to responding to emergencies and disasters, the organisation aims to effect long-term, sustainable development in some of the poorest and most conflict-ridden communities in the world.

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