Polokwane — Mokopane Hospital is considered to be the best hospital in Limpopo to have a baby.

The hospital received a platinum certificate last week for the quality of care it offers to newborn babies and their mothers.

It was one of eight hospitals accredited by the provincial department for health and social development in terms of its Newborn Care Programme.

The programme was introduced in the province in 2003 and the number of deaths amongst new born babies dropped from 40 percent in 2003 to 20 percent in 2005.

"Our guiding principal is "Children First"," said department spokesman Phuti Seloba.

Hospitals are given platinum, gold and silver certificates depending on the quality of care they offer.

Twelve hospitals have applied for accreditation, but only eight were deemed worthy.

Mokopane Hospital got the platinum certificate, while seven other hospitals qualified for silver certificates. They were Elim, Malamulele, Kgapane, CN Phatudi, Lebowakgomo, Salome and Donald Fraser hospitals.

The Newborn Care Programme is part of national government's Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), which is based on the global initiative to increase awareness of the critical role of health services in the holistic care of both mothers and newborn babies.

The BFHI was initiated by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund to promote exclusive breastfeeding for six months, thereby boosting a baby's chances of survival.

Exclusive breastfeeding is believed to reduce infant mortality rates by 13 percent.

By April this year, 203 baby friendly health facilities had been accredited in South Africa.

The Eastern Cape has an initiative underway which focuses on improving the health of mothers and the reduction of infant deaths.

This comes after a visit by the Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang to Frere Hospital in East London at the weekend.

The Saving Babies Report, which covers 164 sites and considers 20 percent of the births in South Africa, found that the rate of infant deaths to be 27.9 per 1 000 live births.