Hospitals as child markets

When Dr. Prosper Igboeli, current chairman of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) addressed newsmen at his M&M Hospital, Aba immediately after assuming office last year, he sounded as if he would fight the incidence of illegal selling of babies among medical practitioners headlong. But one year after, the ugly trend among some medical practitioners has continued unabated. (Picture left shows a cross section of pregnant girls arrested by security men at Dr Kenneth Akunne's Enugu clinic last year).

Last year, security men arrested one Mrs. Bene Aguocha in possession of a one day-old baby at the Holy Ghost Park, Enugu. After thorough interrogation, Mrs. Aguocha admitted that she bought the baby from Kenneth Akunne, an Enugu based medical practitioner, for N340, 000.00. When security men later swooped at Akunne’s hospital on Anyaegbulam Street, Uwani, Enugu, 22 teenage pregnant girls were stumbled on.

Same 2008, police raided Jabuken Hospital, located at Umuode in Osisioma Ngwa Council Area of Abia state. What the police discovered was stunning. Though the proprietress of the place fled before police arrival, nine girls, out of who six among them were in different stages of pregnancy were arrested.

In another incident, it took the intervention of a former member of Abia state House of Assembly to rescue a teenage pregnant girl who hails from Obingwa Local Government Areaof Abia state from the custody of Dr. Orikara Hyacinth at 3 Brass Street, Aba.

Earlier, Dr. Hyacinth was arrested in 2007. Arrested alongside was Mrs. Ayodele Okeke at 10 Woji Street, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State. Dr. Hyacinth and Ayodele were partners in this illegal business. Dr. Hyacinth was trafficking in newborn babies as well as recommending pregnant girls to Ayodele.

The worst hit in this ugly trend is Aba where Ezuma Hospital, 101 Okigwe Road is located. Dr. James Ezuma James, the owner of the Hospital engages in illegal abortion and baby factory. The Hospital is further noted for admitting under-aged girls whose babies are later sold when they are born. According to klinReports investigations, about 200 girls are admitted at a time. Those who introduce the pregnant girls to the hospital are rewarded with N5, 000 each. Also, those pregnant girls are cramped 16 to one room. The most appalling thing is that the facilities in the hospital are dilapidated an over stretched.

KlinReports investigations further revealed that these ladies are paid N5, 000 each every week for their upkeep. When they give birth they are paid off with about N50, 000 each, depending on the length of time spent in the hospital. While the male child is sold at N400, 000, the female is sold for N350, 000. Due to the poor facilities of the hospital and lack of qualified personnel, not less than seven deaths are recorded there on weekly basis.

The question is whether the practices of Dr. Ezuma conform to the provisions of Eastern Nigeria Child Adoption Law No 12 of 1986. The answer is a big NO. According to Dr. C. C. Okwuonu, an expert gynecologist and obstetrician, who also owns a social home, babies are not sold but adopted. Dr Okwuonu further states that any legal adoption only attracts a fee of N25, 000.

According to him, when someone intends to adopt a baby the applicant would be required to present age declaration certificate evidence of medical fitness, two passport photographs, a marriage certificate as well as the birth certificate of the baby to be adopted.

“You see, people like to cut corners by avoiding the due process. Any foster parent who wants to adopt a baby comes to the Social Welfare Unit of a Local Government Area for a temporary adoption paper, which would be made permanent at the end of one year. It is only when the permanent papers are issued that the foster parents can claim the baby as theirs. The basis of this process is to ascertain whether the would-be-foster parents would be able to support the foster child. Also, no social mother would be admitted into a social home without the consent of her parents. Anything short of the above processes is illegal,” Dr Okwuonu concludes.

This trend has attracted the attention of well meaning Nigerians. According to Barrister Ukpai Ukairo, a human rights and constitutional lawyer, the practice is assuming the modern day slave trade.

“The most annoying thing is that sometimes these babies are sold to ritualists who use them for diabolical purpose,” Ukpai posits.

Mr. Peter Agba Kalu, a commentator on Social issues, calls on National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Human Persons and other related matters (NAPTIP) to address the issue immediately.

“The trend has assumed an embarrassing dimension, NAPTIP should step up efforts to address it,” Mr.Agbai declares.

Dr. Okwuonu is of the view that Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) should withdraw the certificates of medical practitioners found guilty of this practice.

“To save the face of the medical profession, medical practitioners who are found wanting in this area should be shown the way out by withdrawing their certificates,” Dr. Okwuonu maintains.