Despite a shortage of nurses, 10 babies were born at the San Fernando General Hospital before midnight on the labour ward of the hospital.However, as the new year came, only two births were recorded at the institution. One of the babies was born at home in St Mary's village, Moruga, while the other was delivered via caesarian section after two days of contractions.
Marisha Mills was the first to deliver for the new year. She said she got contractions around 10 pm on New Year's Eve but as she waited for an ambulance to take her to the hospital, she realised time was running out. "My mother Marva Mills and my aunt Ann Mitchell got everything ready and I had the baby at home. When the paramedics came they cut the umbilical cord," Mills said. Saying she was delighted to have a daughter, Mills said she was yet to decide on a name."Her father will choose a name. he is very excited to have a daughter," Mills said. Her baby weighed 3.14 kg and was delivered at 1.30 am.
Meanwhile, 22-year-old Rosa Ramlogan, of Guaracara Tabaquite Road, also celebrated the birth of her daughter. Ramlogan said she started getting labour pains on Tuesday and was taken to hospital for observation."The baby's heart beat was raising and they decided to do an emergency C-section," Ramlogan said. Saying she received the best gift for the new year, Ramlogan said she and her husband Brian Samaroo were yet to decide on a name for the baby.
Meanwhile, a source at the hospital said the last few hours of the new year was a nightmare because of the shortages of nurses and attendants. "It was so bad that doctors had to push trolleys," the source added. Officials at the South West Regional Health Authority said they are keeping a log of all the nurses who stayed away from duty during the holidays.