Xiah is TT's first Christmas babe

Xiah Farrell had the honour of being nation's first baby born on Christmas Day when she entered the world at one minute after midnight at the Port of Spain General Hospital. Her mother Ornella Farrell, 23, thanked God for a smooth birth to her healthy daughter who weighed 6.30 pounds (2.86 kg).

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh visited the mother and daughter and presented them with a hamper. Deyalsingh, who since becoming health minister has been, every year, trying to convince parents to name their newborns after him, did not miss a beat on Wednesday as he asked Ornella to give baby Xiah the middle-name "Terry." She agreed.

Elated at the news, Deyalsingh gushed: "At long last! After five years of begging, Xiah Terry Farrell! How does that sound? I win! After five years of begging, a mother has finally agreed." Ornella said the birthing process was a smooth one as this was not her first delivery at the city hospital.

"I never had a problem at Port of Spain, the midwives here are very nice and they are the best." Expressing confidence in the public health care system, she said she will encourage other mothers to utilize the public health centres to give birth. There were three other early births at the Port of Spain General Hospital.

Samantha Pereira, 23, gave birth to her first child, a boy weighing 7.07 pounds (3.21kg) at 12.53 am, while Afiya Busby, 20, also gave birth to her first child, a boy weighing 6.8 pounds (3.11kg) at 5.45 am. Simone Francis, 39, gave birth to a girl weighing 6.9 pounds (3.14kg) at 6.31am.

"It was not that hard of a labour. It feels good to get a bundle of joy that is safe, healthy and strong, God is good and I am thankful," said Francis.

At the Mt Hope Women's Hospital, the first Christmas Day birth was recorded was at 6.44 am when Stephanie Ramdial gave birth to a girl weighing 6 pounds (3.06 kg). Speaking to media following visits to the maternity ward, Deyalsingh said he was elated for the mothers and pleased with the progress of maternal care in TT.

"As Minister of Health this is probably the happiest day for me. Prior to this government coming into office the issue of maternal mortality and infant mortality was one that was not solved for decades. I want to pay tribute this morning to the entire health care team that has worked with the ministry to make TT one of the leaders, in the world, in how to bring down maternal mortality and infant mortality rates."

He said his presence at the hospitals, on Wednesday, was to show his solidarity with health care workers who he said are often under-appreciated. He was pleased with the level of care provided to pregnant mothers and said the feedback he received from mothers, on Christmas morning, supported his confidence.

"In TT between 90 to 93 per cent of the deliveries take place in the public sector. That is testimony to level of care that mothers and babies get." At both hospitals, the health minister presented the midwife staff with tokens to thank them for their service.

In early 2020, he said the health ministry will launch a programme aimed at reducing gestational diabetes in pregnant women and will also be launching a linear accelerator at the St James Medical Complex to bolster this country's approach to cancer.