NGOMA - Elimine Musabyimana, 17, yesterday, successfully gave birth to three baby boys at Zaza health centre in Ngoma district.

Fredrick Ndayishimiye, who’s in charge of the health centre, confirmed that the girl and her babies are all doing well.
"We were taken by surprise, but happy that the birth was successful,” he said.

Ndayishimiye, however, said that he was concerned that the mother lacked the capacity to raise the children.
"She needs help since she is not able to satisfy the babies, through breast feeding,” he said.

"The first was born weighing 1.9kg, the second 1.4kg, and third weighed 1.3kg. Such babies can only survive if the mother gets supplements,” Isidori Nkuranga, the nurse looking after the triplets said.

In an interview, the mother told The New Times that she was overwhelmed by the experience. "The triplets have been a real shock to me. They are so gorgeous,” she said.

The mother added that she was worried about raising the babies. She said, the father abandoned her when she was only four months pregnant and she currently has no source of income.

"Three children, when you don’t have any income are difficult to bring up. I need help to feed them.”
Iphigenie Mukandori the Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Affairs said they will do what they can, to assist the mother.

"The birth of triplets is enormously taxing on the mother and is even more stressful because she has no income,” she said.

Teenage pregnancy in rural areas continues to be a big issue.

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