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Herald Reporters
The media should play a leading role in educating citizens on the dangers of baby dumping, and enlightening would-be mothers on organisations to approach in the event that they fail to provide for their newly-born babies, the Zimbabwe Media Commission chairperson, Professor Ruby Magosvongwe has said.
This comes as a newly-born baby, who was abandoned in the middle of the Mutare-Harare Highway, was recently rescued by a Good Samaritan, as reported by our sister paper, The Manica Post, last Friday.
The female infant, who was naked when she was discovered at around 2am on a chilly day, is suspected to have been abandoned by her mother. She was inside a plastic bag and was picked up from the middle of the road by an identified woman who was travelling with her husband.
The couple handed over the baby to authorities at Rusape General Hospital for examinations with the assistance of the police. It was concluded that the baby was in a stable condition and had just been delivered. The infant was admitted in the maternity ward awaiting further management and onward referral to a relevant care centre.
“The role of the media, therefore, is to show awareness about these kinds of issues happening in our country, warning people on measures taken on anyone who abandons a child,” said Prof Magosvongwe.
She said although reasons for abandoning babies vary, many mothers without means, especially young ones, dump their newly-born babies due to ignorance of the existence of programmes and organisations that may be able to assist them to take care of their children.
Prof Magosvongwe said it was disturbing that while some women were struggling to conceive, others were abandoning their babies in the name of emotional instability or lack. A cross-section of citizens who spoke to this publication roundly condemned the incident saying what the mother did was cruel, since she could have sought help, instead of abandoning her baby.
“Women should learn to seek help. Looking for help is better than dumping a baby in the middle of the road, because one never knows what the future may hold for the child,” said Hope Mishi from Harare.
Elinah Gwadzira said mothers usually abandon their newly-born babies owing to lack resources for the baby’s upkeep.
“Most women dump their babies due to lack of money to provide for them. It defeats common sense why a mother would abandon a child she would have carried in her womb for nine months,” she said.
Another Harare resident, Christine Taadzwa, said girls should be enlightened on reproductive issues, so that they are not caught unawares.
“When young girls fall pregnant, the elders should sit them down and ask if they are ready for motherhood, so that precautions are taken before hand,” Taadzwa said.
“Parents should also have close relationships with their daughters, so that they open up to them on matters close to their hearts. That way, issues of baby dumping and illegal abortions are curtailed.”
The Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (ZINATHA) president George Kandiero opined that women usually abandon their babies as a result of neglect by the father, or when they are not sure of who the actual father could be, “due to multiple partners”.
He also shed light on cultural expectations on adoption, saying that the abandoned babies are usually taken to care centres or foster homes.
Online Reporter