UAE | Health

UAE welcomes more than 25 New Year babies

A great gift from God at the beginning of the year, elated parents say

By Carolina D’Souza, Sara Sabry and Aghaddir Ali
Published: 15:10 January 1, 2013

Image Credit: Zarina Fernandes/Gulf News
New Year baby Gillian Chantelle, with her parents Gavin and Roxanne Povo. She was born at 8.21 am, on the 1st of January in Dubai.

Image 1 of 3: 1 2 3

Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah: The UAE has welcomed dozens of babies on the first day of the year.

The country’s first baby to be born this year was Jody Hussain, who was born at 12.01 am at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi. Bashar Hussain, the Syrian father of the baby girl said, “We believe that 2013 will be a lucky year for us. It has certainly started on the best note possible.”

By press deadline, in Dubai, Latifa Hospital had more than 15 deliveries scheduled, of which 10 had taken place. The Canadian Specialist Hospital saw two births whereas Aster Al Rafa Hospital reported two births. The Mediclinic City Hospital had eight births with one more expected.

In Abu Dhabi, the Corniche Hospital reported the births of an Iranian boy Hamad Hussain Al Jamali and Emirati baby girl (yet to be named) early in 2013 at 1.1 am and 5.53 am respectively. Six babies were delivered at the hospital since midnight.

In Sharjah, Al Qasimi Hospital saw the birth of a baby girl at 3.54am.

Due to the date’s uniqueness, the date was considered special by new parents. Gulf News spoke to a few.

Hamad’s father Hussain Al Jamali at the Corniche Hospital said he hoped his first baby would bring the family prosperity and happiness. He said, “I believe that having him at the beginning of this year is a great gift from God. We will do our best to protect and take care of him.”

The new mother Nadia added, “We were expecting the baby at the end of 2012, but I was secretly hoping for January 1. I am thankful and extremely happy with the special birth date.”

First-time parents Gavin and Roxanne Povo welcomed their daughter Gillian Chantelle at Latifa Hospital. The father said, “We couldn’t have had a better New Year’s gift and a better start to 2013.” The mother added, “I am on cloud nine. It’s such a lucky date. I wasn’t supposed to deliver till January 6.”

Father Vinod Philip at Aster Al Rafa Hospital said he was ecstatic with the birth of his third daughter. The date he said was special because his older daughters’ birthdays are connected. “My eldest was born on February 1 and my second on April 1. Now we have January 1. All were normal deliveries.”

At Al Qasimi Hospital, Hiyam’s Egyptian father Mustafa Hamid said, “I have been blessed with a healthy baby girl, and this wonderful event marks the tone of the rest of the year for me.”

At Oasis Hospital in Al Ain, the first baby of 2013 was a girl born at 7.12am to parents Ahmad Gareeb Al Ka’abi and Shaikha Hamad Mohammad Al Ka’abi.