High Rates Of Motherless Children – Matrons Call For Strong Legislation

…As Princess (Dr.) Victoria Ibokette Foundation Visits Motherless Babies’ Homes In Uyo

… Calls On Pregnant Women To Visit Hospital For Child Delivery

By Our Reporter

The operators of motherless babies’ homes in the state have called on the state government particularly, the Ministry of Women Affairs and the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to enact laws that will help to salvage women from maternal mortality.

The Matrons of Mother Charles Walker Vocational Training Centre, Anua, Rev. Sister Matilda Inyang and that of St. Anthony Destitute Centre, Uruan Street all in Uyo made the call in their separate remarks during the visit of Princess Victoria Ibokette Foundation to those centers recently.

The Nuns observed that churches, Prophets and Prophetesses abused the minds of women on the issue of Cesarean section, saying that they will put to birth like ‘the Hebrew women’ and when there are complications, those women pass away, “you know that our people believe in our religious leaders and some of the religious leaders told them that CS, Cesarean section is not godly and our women ignorantly obeyed and refused to visit the hospital for antenatal and prenatal care. Mothers who try to avoid CS, went to church or traditional birth attendance to put to birth in the process, die and leave the babies”

They decried ignorance on the part of women who think that CS is a death sentence, according to them, many children who were supposed to be with their parents are now without parents as most men abandon their children as soon as the mothers die in the process of childbirth, “Ignorance of proper delivery education for pregnant women have produced so many orphans. Women should go to the hospital, get medical attention, get operated upon if need be for the mother and child to survive as operation is not a death sentence. We receive motherless babies here on a regular basis. I want to call on the politicians and those that have voices to, apart from enactment of laws, should talk to our women on the need to visit hospitals as soon as they are pregnant so that they could be properly managed from the beginning to delivery”. Sister Matilda Inyang particularly, requested support to complete the building within the premises to accommodate the influx of babies.

Speaking earlier, the President of Princess Victoria Ibokette Foundation, Princess (Dr.) Victoria Ibokette said that it is her avowed commitment to give God’s benevolence on her back to society and that she has been doing that on a consistent basis. She advised the children to be of good character as God has promised to take care of those without parents.

Princess (Dr.) Victoria Ibokette who is contesting for Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the ADC (African Democratic Congress) flanked by the Coordinator and other exco members of the foundation thanked the matrons and other support staffers for their commitment to the motherless babies, their good works, commitment and zeal to carter for the physical, academic, spiritual and social wellbeing of the children, called on extra commitment to salvage the innocent children from unnecessary attack,  maintained that God will continue to be sending people who will help them in their humanitarian grounds. Features at the event included the presentation of food items, toiletries, beverages among other while prayer was offered to the foundation and children as well. Present at the visit was the Coordinator of PIVF, Mrs. Imekan Asanga and other members of the Foundation.