A Paktika woman on Wednesday gave birth to quintuplets – all of whom are reportedly in a stable condition despite having been born prematurely. 

According to hospital officials from the Sharana City Central Hospital, this is the first time quintuplets have been born in the province. 

The mother and babies are all in a stable condition, they said. 

“They brought her here and we gave her medicine. It was around 10am that the five babies were born, of whom two are girls and three are boys,” said a hospital spokeswoman. 

The woman’s family was excited about the arrival of the babies and thanked hospital staff for their help. 

The babies’ grandfather, Lotfullah, said: “I am very happy and I thank the hospital officials. The patients who come to this hospital get healed and I urge government to establish such hospitals in Paktika districts and appoint professional doctors in the hospitals.” 

He also said he hoped the hospital would not discharge the babies too soon as they were premature and needed treatment. 

“We ask government to treat the newborns in the hospital, because if they leave hospital, they will die,” he said.

Doctors meanwhile said the family is very poor and that they are concerned about the mother’s ability to cope financially.