Mmadubuko have cried out for help after giving birth
to triplets which they say they cannot adequately
cater for. They said they got help from the Anambra
state Ministry of Women Affairs but it wasn't enough.
According to them, they got 1 bag of rice, 12 toilet
tissues, 1 Dettol liquid, 1 packet of pears soap and 1
pears cream for children, and N2000.
According to Saturday Sun, Oluchukwu gave birth
unexpectedly at their home on June 16th, without
knowing she was about to give birth to triplets. Her
husband, Asiegbu narrated the ordeal they went
through in giving birth to their children, two girls and
a boy christened - Ibetom, Okuanata and
Chukwusomeje.
"On the 16th June, 2015 around 2am, my wife woke
me up amid deep groaning, telling me that she was in
labour. Before I could lead her out of the house in
order to take her to the local birth attendant where
she used to go to for antenatal, the baby started
coming out. The whole event surrounding it was so
strange to me because I had never witnessed that
kind of thing before. I don't know what to do and
where to start. Luckily, there's a nurse living in our
neighbourhood so I quickly ran to her house to solicit
for her assistance. When she came, she was
apparently confused too as she could not give me
satisfactory answer on the cause of the continued
painful moaning of my wife despite the fact that a
baby had come out. With hot tears in my eyes, I
painfully and helplessly watched my wife going down.
I couldn't bear it; hence, I summoned courage and
went down to the local birth attendant who presided
over her antenatal although it's a bit far from my
house. At first, she declined to come to our aid
saying she could not come out by that time of the
night but I begged fervently; explaining the pathetic
condition of my wife. I told her that I don't
understand what the first nurse was doing and that I
can't afford to lose my wife. When we got to my
house, we took her inside the room to ascertain the
exact problem because the baby came out while we
were outside. Before we knew it, my wife was
delivered of a second baby. I never expected that. In
fact, I was dumbfounded. I don't know whether to
start rejoicing or what. You know that kind of thing. I
was very concerned about the health condition of my
wife that night. Still surprised, they told me that the
third child has come out. Ha! I never expected that
my wife would be delivered of twins talk more of
triplets. Just then, my wife collapsed; shaking very
convulsively. She was bleeding too. Lord! I was
seriously devastated. At once, I was gasping for
breath. It felt like the whole air in the world has been
exhausted. But the nurse said I should bring her to
her own 'clinic'. She said she could handle it. There
again the problem of transport means popped up.
But luckily, my brother's car was available so he
came over and we headed to the nurse's apartment.
But my spirit was not comfortable with the treatment
the nurse was giving her because she wasn't
responding to the treatment as expected. I was
praying fervently for the day to break so that I could
seek alternative means. In the morning, I rushed her
to Amaku General Hospital, Awka. I was hoping that
the government would come to our aid given the
condition we found ourselves. But before I knew it,
expenses were heavily raining on me. I never minded
because my major concern was my wife and the
triplets. But there again, she started shaking
convulsively in the hospital. That was when the health
workers knew it was a serious matter. Thank God
they were able to manage the convulsion and
bleeding and other complications. Thereafter, I paid
for some pints of blood that she was given and
numerous expensive drugs. I was paying for drugs
every day. I expended about N200,000 which I
borrowed from the village meeting in that hospital.
That is in addition to N180,000 I had earlier saved,
waiting for her delivery date. At a point, I told them
that the money I borrowed has been exhausted. I
pleaded with them to direct me on how I can get
assistance from the Anambra State government.
Sadly, because I was no longer able to pay for their
numerous medical bills and drugs, they stopped
attending to my wife; you know how hospital people
used to behave. As we speak, I owe many people
heavily. The first money I borrowed was N100,000
and later on I borrowed another N100,000 making it
N200,000 plus other smaller amounts I borrowed. I
also paid the previous two nurses who attended to
her in the village N10,000 each. Nevertheless, I thank
God for everything" he said, adding that "The health
workers did not tell me exactly what the problem
was, rather, they were blaming the local nurses who
attended to her in the village. They said she was
supposed to undergo caesarean operation. I said
God forbid; thanking God it was not through
operation. I told them since God has made it that way
they should do the needful as my major concern was
the welfare of my wife and triplets. They kept writing
drugs upon drugs and there was nothing concrete
they said was the cause of the convulsion. But I
suspected she was short of blood as she had bled
throughout the time her labour lasted."he said
Speaking fuurther, he said "Due to lack of money, we
left the hospital before the due date to the village. As
we speak, my wife is still sick. The newly born babies
are not feeding well. All we are offering them is pap.
There is no way she can breastfeed the three of them
at the same time. The nursing mother should be
feeding very well so that the breast would be
producing enough rich milk for the infants. I am just
managing the whole thing. There are several
nutritional foods they should be eating but because
there is no cash in my hand they don't. We are
passing through difficulty now. Her postpartum has
been ruled out because there is no money. At a point,
I wrote a letter to the Ministry of Women Affairs and
Social Development humbly requesting for their
assistance. I also attached pictures of all of us while
in the hospital. But since that month of June to date,
they did not respond. My wife, knowing the condition
she was passing through, complained that she and
her new babies were feeding poorly. Truly she was
right. I had to go back to the ministry to know what
has been holding back my humble request for
assistance but the commissioner wasn't on seat. The
officials I met kept directing me from one office to
another. When I went to Child Department, I didn't
see anybody but a corps member. She told me that
the workers in that department did not come
because their children were sick. She directed me to
come back later without any specific date. Later they
directed me to another office, which also directed me
back to Child Department. I waited a whole day
without result and I had to go back home.
Unfortunately, my first two children, a girl and a boy
fell seriously sick due to malaria fever recently. I was
just returning from the chemist shop where I took
them to get drugs and saw some people in my house.
They said that it was Commissioner for Women
Affairs and Social Development that sent them. They
came with 1 bag of rice, 12 pieces of toilet tissue, 1
Dettol liquid, 1 packet of pears soap and 1 pears
cream for children, and N2000. They said that I
shouldn't come back to the ministry again. They said
the N2000 was for my sick children. I wrote that letter
on 22nd June, 2015. It was just three days ago that
these officials from the ministry came to my village.
My wife would have died if not the assistance the
village meeting rendered to us."he said
His wife also complained also complained of poor
feeding of her babies
"My children are not feeding well as they should. A
quantity of milk that is meant for one person is
shared among the three; and I must say it is affecting
them seriously. Also, breastfeeding them without
adequate balanced food intake, is affecting me too.
I'm not yet back to my normal self, health wise. I have
not been going to postnatal because things are quite
hard for us financially."she said
AbleMoJah® Nigeria.
No comments:
Write comments