2 sets of triplets born in Dowa

There was joy at Dowa District Hospital on Tuesday as two young mothers gave birth to triplets each.

The mothers, Catherine Saukani Dikilani, aged 22 and Georgina Howard, 21, delivered their babies at 11am and 4.40pm, respectively.

Speaking to Malawi News Agency (Mana), Catherine’s husband, Saukani Dikilani, could not hide his joy although he confessed the triplets present a huge responsibility on his family.

He said: “I am very happy to be the father of the triplets as this rarely happens in the district and Malawi at large. Therefore, to show my happiness, with the little I have, I will buy a special little gift for each baby.”

On the responsibility ahead, Dikilani said it will be a daunting task as he lives on subsistence farming.

The second set of triplets was born through Caesarean section to Howard and weighed two kilogrammes (kg) each.

The mother, who already has three children of whom two are twins, is single and lives with her mother, Nasitaziya Nkungula.

Howard said the father of her twins died while the father of the triplets abandoned her.

One of the nurses on duty at the hospital, Carol Mchombo, said it takes about three to four days for a mother who had a Caesarean to be discharged.

She said it is normal for a mother to give birth to triplets, but it demands additional resources such as infant milk formula which is expensive.

“The triplets need intensive care to be healthier and will be under Kangaroo Mother Care so that they are properly monitored,” said the nurse.

Mchombo added that the babies will be discharged when each one weighs 2.5 kg.

Nkungula, who is taking care of her daughter, relies on farming to support her extended family and has since appealed for help. n