Baby Dumped•In Flower Pot

THE DOMESTIC Violence and Victims Support Unit (DVVSU) of the Madina Divisional Police Command has launched an appeal, especially to residents of Ashale Botwe near Madina, a suburb of Accra, to help trace the mother of a day-old baby girl dumped in a flower pot after delivery.

The baby, who was named Yaa Nyamekye by Inspector Charity Kudjawu of Madina DVVSU, was found by some Good Samaritans at Ashale Botwe 3rd Gate at 11.30 am on February 7, 2008 and a report was made to the police.

Narrating the incident to DAILY GUIDE at the station, Chief Superintendent Beatrice Amoako, the Crime Officer in charge of the Madina DVVSU said one Solomon Bediako, a student, alleged that he was in his room on that fateful day when he heard the shrill cry of a baby around the house.

Mr. Bediako stated that the cry of the baby caught the attention of some dogs in the area that started barking, thus attracting residents to the spot.

Upon getting closer, according to Mr. Bediako, they (residents) found the baby in a flower pot with her umbilical cord still attached to her.

Little 'Yaa Nyamekye' was then rushed to the Madina Police Station where the Station Officer for DVVSU, Chief Inspector Edward Dzokoto instructed that she should be rushed to the Madina Health Centre for immediate attention.

According to C/Supt. Madam Amoako, one Madam Linda Appiah, one of the residents, assisted the police to convey the baby to the health centre where she was attended to, but later had to be referred to the Police Hospital in Accra.

The Crime Officer therefore appealed to residents of Ashale Botwe to inform the police about any woman recently seen with a pregnancy but without a baby after delivery.

She attributed the spate of baby abandonment by some women to lack of maintenance support from the men who might have made them pregnant.

C/Supt. Madam Amoako advised women who felt abandoned by their spouses after becoming pregnant to report such men to DVVSU for immediate and prompt response to their cases.

When DAILY GUIDE visited the Police Hospital, 'Yaa Nyamekye' was doing well.

On duty to ensure that such children were taken care of was the Children's Ward Manager, Chief Superintendent Love Asante-Amankwah (Mrs).

She told DAILY GUIDE that when 'Yaa' was brought in, she was looking fine and that the nurses at the Madina Health Centre had already given her the needed medical attention to get her out of danger.

She commended officials of the Madina DVVSU and the nurses for the professional manner they had handled the baby.

C/Supt. Asante-Amankwa disclosed that 'Yaa' was the second abandoned child to be brought to the hospital this year but sadly, the first one died shortly on arrival.

She gave the assurance that 'Yaa' would be observed for a few days, for the umbilical cord to heal and then transferred to the Osu Children's Home.

C/Supt. Asante-Amankwa stated that records available to the hospital indicated that when it comes to baby abandonment, female potters popularly referred to as 'Kayayee', were the worst offenders.

By Wisdom Peter Awuku