Rachel Appoh-Opoku consoles Suwaiba

Deputy minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Rachel Appoh-Opoku, has paid a courtesy call on Suwaiba Abdul Mumin, the woman at the centre of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) missing baby saga.

The Deputy Minister who is in charge of Social Welfare together with the Ashanti regional Acting Gender Director, Augustina Gyamfi, paid Suwaiba a visit on Sunday at her residency in Aboabo, a zongo community to assure her the Ministry is firmly behind her.

The missing body of Suwaiba's alleged stillborn has generated heated controversy at the hospital, with family and friends of the baby's monther suspecting the baby may have been stolen.

However, no such evidence has been uncovered.
The Ministry of Health has given authorities of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital a two-week ultimatum to produce the bodies of five other dead babies, including that of Suwaiba Mumin.

The health ministry's directive was part of recommendations made by a committee instituted by the sector minister, Sherry Ayitey, to investigate circumstances that led the sudden disappearance of Suwaiba's baby shortly after birth.

According to Sherry Ayitey failure to do so will attract sanctions. The ultimatum ends this week.

The Gender, Children and Social Protection deputy minister's visit formed part of her activities to mark the March 8 International Women's Day celebrations in the Ashanti Region.

During the visit, Rachel Appoh-Opoku said she was worried by Suwaiba's plight.

According to her, she was particularly concerned about the trauma she may be going through.

There were reports following the disappearance of Suwaiba's baby suggesting that she is unable to sleep at night.

Suwaiba Abdul Mumin lamented the neglect she suffered immediately her baby disappeared, blaming the situation on her gender and religion.

But the Deputy Minister assured her that the Ministry was firmly behind her.

"Government will not renege in its resolve to uncover the mystery surrounding the case", Rachel Appoh-Opoku reiterated.

According to the Minister, four ministries namely Gender, Children and Social Protection, Attorney General's department, Health and Interior Ministries who have taken up the issue are working around the clock to get to the bottom of the issue.

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has provided a Counselor for Suwaiba although she (Suwaiba) insists the session is yet to begin.

She, however, admitted that some elders of her community have taken up that task for the meantime.

The team from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection during the visit also presented Suwaiba with assorted drinks.

Also present at the visit was the Ashanti regional Social welfare director, Jacob Achulo and the MCE for Asokore Mampong, Alhaji Hamidan.