Health and Wellness
(a) How does the Khulisa Care Programme aim to (i) improve birth outcomes and (ii) early childhood development for children born underweight, (b) in what ways does the programme address the long-term developmental risks faced by children born with a low birth weight, (c) how does her Department ensure continuity of care for children after birth, especially in cases where mothers initially enrolled due to low-birth-weight outcomes, (d) what plans does her Department have to expand the programme based on observed child health outcomes, (e) how many (i) pregnant women and (ii) mothers have been enrolled in the Khulisa Care Programme to date, (f) what was the average duration
for which beneficiaries accessed this support and (g)(i) what percentage of enrolled mothers showed measurable improvements in nutritional status during pregnancy and (ii) how did this translate into improved health outcomes for their children?
(a)(i) The Khulisa Care Programme is designed to strengthen maternal and child health outcomes through the early identification of pregnant women at risk of malnutrition and the provision of targeted maternal nutritional support. The programme aims to reduce low birth weight (LBW) births through improved maternal nutrition, counselling, and monitoring during pregnancy.
(a)(ii) In relation to early childhood development, infants born with a low birth weight are monitored postnatally through routine growth monitoring, caregiver counselling and support, and timely referral to appropriate health services to promote optimal physical growth and developmental milestones. By focusing on women at risk of malnutrition and LBW babies, the programme ultimately seeks to reduce stunting rates in the Western Cape, recognising that infants born with low birth weight are at a significantly higher risk of becoming stunted.
(b) The programme addresses the long-term developmental risks associated with LBW by prioritising early intervention. This includes sustained nutritional support to mothers, health education for caregivers, and close collaboration with primary healthcare services to identify growth faltering or developmental delays at an early stage, thereby reducing the likelihood of adverse long-term outcomes
(c) Mothers of LBW babies and pregnant women are eligible to enrol in the programme as soon as they are identified as being at risk. This support continues from the point of identification until the infant reaches six months of age. Continuity of care is ensured through structured antenatal and postnatal follow-up, integration with existing maternal, child and women’s health services, and community-based support mechanisms. Beneficiaries are linked to routine child health services, including growth monitoring, immunisation programmes, and early childhood development support. Key messages on maternal nutrition, infant feeding, and appropriate health-seeking behaviour are reinforced during support visits, and caregivers are encouraged to attend health facilities regularly.
(d) The Khulisa Care Programme is a pilot study where in the Department is exploring if this type of targeted intervention will be effective in its aims. It has been rolled out in two urban and one rural area – Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain and the Breede Valley. Thus, the Department continuously reviews programme implementation data to inform planning and to address barriers or difficulties that participant may experience. As the first cohort of beneficiaries was only enrolled in the programme in the Breede Valley in July 2026, it is still too early in the pilot study to show proof of concept. However, the Department is considering how it may be expanded through strengthening partnerships, improving referral pathways, and exploring scalability to additional districts, subject to resource availability and demonstrated impact.
(e) As at 6 February 2026: (i) Approximately 302 pregnant women have been enrolled in the Khulisa Care Programme. (ii) Approximately 595 mothers have been enrolled across participating areas.
(f) It is still early in the implementation phase of the programme and thus no average duration for which beneficiaries access this support has been established. Enrolled pregnant women and mothers who have delivered an infant weighing less than 2 500 grams are eligible to receive support until their infant reaches six months of age.
(g)(i) It is still early in the implementation phase of the programme, and comprehensive outcome data on measurable improvements in maternal nutritional status during pregnancy are not yet available.
(g)(ii) Similarly, longer-term data linking maternal nutritional improvements to measurable child health outcomes are not yet available, as sufficient follow-up time is required to assess impact reliably.
