MEC MASHEGO CELEBRATES NEW LIFE: HEALTH LEADER WELCOMES NEWBORN BABIES ACROSS LIMPOPO HOSPITALS

By Mpho Dube, Editor-in-Chief, The Azanian

Limpopo’s Health MEC Ms Dieketseng Mashego has launched a heart‑warming initiative to personally welcome newborn babies at hospitals across the province, reinforcing her commitment to compassionate healthcare and community engagement.

The campaign, showcased in a vibrant poster featuring MEC Mashego surrounded by cherubic newborns, announces special visits on Christmas Day, 25 December 2025, and New Year’s Day, 1 January 2026. On Christmas, Mashego will greet infants at Vhembe District’s Elim/LTT Hospital and Mopani District’s Kgapane Hospital. On New Year’s Day, she will visit Sekhukhune District’s Jane Furse Hospital and Waterberg District’s Voortrekker Hospital.

“Welcoming new life is at the heart of our health mission,” Mashego said in a statement accompanying the poster. “These visits are a reminder that every baby born in Limpopo deserves quality care and a healthy start, and they inspire our healthcare workers to deliver excellence every day.”

The initiative aligns with the provincial government’s #BopheloPele (“Health First”) and #LeaveNoOneBehind slogans, emphasizing inclusive healthcare and community upliftment. The Department of Health’s campaign also highlights its 30‑year journey toward achieving the National Development Plan (NDP) goals of a long and healthy life for all Limpopo residents.

The poster directs the public to engage with the Limpopo Department of Health through its website www.ldoh.gov.za and social‑media channels (@HealthLimpopo, LimpopoDepartmentOfHealth, and TikTok @limpopo.health.bophelong), encouraging citizens to share their own stories of newborn care and health services.

MEC Mashego’s newborn‑welcoming programme has been praised by local leaders as a compassionate gesture that humanises public service and strengthens the bond between government officials and communities, especially during festive seasons when healthcare services are often strained.