- Health consultant seeks end to maternal deaths
- Two robbery suspects die in gunfire exchange with police
By Oye Chukwujekwu
Special Correspondent, Asaba
Delta State government has denied media reports that its officials are involved in child trafficking, describing such as laughable and unimaginable.
What is, however, not denied in the state is the high rate of maternal deaths, which a gynecologist wants stopped.
Police also confirmed the death of two armed robbery suspects after a gun battle.
But Information Commissioner, Patrick Ukah, described as spurious the allegation that the state government or its officials are involved in child trafficking.
He insisted that the state government adheres to the laws guiding adoption of orphans, and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development keeps record of adoption, but not adoption register which belongs to the court.
Ukah said in most cases, an abandoned child is not found by social welfare officers but by good Samaritans who usually take such a child to the police for documentation before handing the child over to social welfare officers who take the child to an approved orphanage.
According to him, thereafter, social welfare officers make enquiries to know if the parents of the child can be traced, and that lasts for at least three months before adoption is considered.
Adoption process begins with temporary placement for at least three months to allow for proper bonding between the child and the adopter before a court gives an enrolment order.
The adopter gets the original copy of the order, the ministry keeps a photo copy.
Ukah also reacted to the allegation of illegal orphanages in the state as claimed by the petitioner and source of the story, Ighorhiohwumu Aghogho.
He disclosed that a total 27 approved orphanage homes, including that of the petitioner, Explosive Academy, operate in the state and are registered by the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development.
In his view, it is “not only a misnomer but mischievous” for Aghogho to address a press conference after petitioning the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Abuja, suing the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development to court, and indicting the ministry and all agencies of government, including the state House of Assembly.
Ukah dismissed the allegations of Aghogho as calculated to tarnish the image of the ministry and the entire state.
Advocacy to end maternal deaths
- Obi, a gynecologist and a senior consultant of Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, called on the society to help stop maternal deaths.
He cited socio-economic, cultural and religious beliefs, and ignorance as challenges in dealing with the problem.
Obi told TheNiche in an interview in Asaba that the general causes of maternal death include abortion or loss of pregnancy, bleeding during pregnancy, during and after child birth, genital infection during delivery, and unhealthy environment.
He also listed hypertension disorder associated with convulsion, blood clot in the vein dislodging into the lungs, amniotic fluid entering the blood and lodging in the lungs, anaemia, poverty, as well as religious and traditional beliefs.
Obi said part of the solution is to educate and empower women, pregnant women to visit hospital early, and government provision of ambulances for emergency response team and hospitals around residential homes.
He said primary health centres should transfer complicated cases quickly to hospitals, delay should be eliminated, equipment provided and members of the public join the National Health Insurance Scheme to access low cost healthcare.
Robbery suspects die in gunfire exchange
Police shot and killed one armed robbery suspect and arrested another in Osubi after officers on foot patrol were attracted by a gunshot from Okomowa Street opposite Lawfab Hotel in the town.
On advancing to the street, officers met a gang of about six alleged armed robbery suspects, who, on sighting the policemen, opened fire.
A gun fire exchange ensured, during which one robbery suspect was killed and another arrested, who later gave up the ghost on the way to hospital, according to the police.
Items recovered from the arrested suspect included one locally made gun and one live cartridge.
Police said efforts are on to apprehend those who fled.
