The baby was born in the early hours of the morning. Both the baby and mother are fine. We are monitoring the mother as she is in the first crucial hours. The baby was 3 090g and it’s a girl.

Acting clinical director of the hospital Dr Harrison Rambanapasi said that both the girl and the baby were in stable condition. Said Dr Rambanapasi:

I wish to inform the nation that our nine-year-old has given birth at UBH. Our specialists performed the C-section in the early hours of today, Monday the 14th.

The outcome is a healthy baby girl with a weight just above 3kg. Both the mother and the baby are in a stable condition.

Once again I would like to thank the team looking after this patient for their hard work and professional conduct throughout.

The pressure was very high as everyone wanted to see the patient but the specialists focused on the needs of the patient and made sure that her right to privacy was protected and upheld.

Even when her Excellency, the First Lady came to see our patient she also emphasised the need to protect this unfortunate girl from the negative repercussions of publicity.

According to the mother of the nine-year-old, she started menstruating at about seven years.

She then took her to their local clinic in Tsholotsho where she was told it was common owing to the type of food being consumed in the 21st century.

The family then took her to a faith healer who prayed for the girl and the menstruation stopped.

However, her stomach started growing and the mother only sought medical help later and it was discovered the child was over seven months pregnant.

She was initially managed at Mpilo Central Hospital and later transferred to UBH at 32 weeks.

The father of the minor was arrested on 29 August 2022 when it was discovered that she was pregnant.

The girl revealed that her father told her that a goblin would come at night and insert things into her privates.

She also said the “goblin” only came when her father was present. | Chronicle