Premature nonuplets of Malian mother are in good health in Morocco

CASABLANCA, Morocco 

Born nearly a month ago, the health condition of a Malian mother's premature nonuplets is getting better day by day. 

Halima Cisse, 25, from the West African country, gave a rare birth to nine babies -- five girls and four boys -- by C-section in Morocco and they were taken to the intensive care unit.

The babies are meticulously cared for by doctors, nurses, and caregivers. Twenty nurses a day, ten in daytime and ten at night, take care of babies in a health institution in Casablanca, are getting better every day, according to Sumayya el-Arqubi, head of the nurse team caring for the babies.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, al-Arqubi said the babies' doctor check them each morning and added: "After the doctor's visit, we feed the babies, change their diapers, check their fever and give them pills if the doctor prescribed."

She said their weight gain is also good and added that mother Cisse sees her babies every morning and brings her breastmilk for them.

Al-Arqubi said they love the babies as their own and get happy as they get healthier.

"I'm so happy to take care of these babies. I'm proud of the success of my country in the birth, care and monitoring of these babies," she said.

Cisse was transferred from the Malian capital Bamako to Morocco on March 30 to monitor her health condition after it was determined that she was carrying seven babies. On May 4, she gave birth to nine babies instead of seven babies, as earlier identified by the health personnel.

The family named boys Mohamed, Bah, Oumar, Elhadji, and girls Kadidia, Fatouma, Hawa, Adama and Oumou. 

*Writing by Sena Guler