A mother said to be a student, abandoned her newborn baby at a hospital in Kwara State after delivery.
The State Ministry of Women Affairs, received the newborn on Friday, April 3, reiterating its commitment to protecting orphans and vulnerable children in the state.
The state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Opeyemi Oluwakemi, said that the baby was delivered on Thursday.
According to her, the newborn was brought to the ministry from Apalara Medical Hospital by an officer of the Nigeria Police Force, Medinat Garuba, and the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Giwa Luqman.
A statement by Iyanu Lawal, Press Secretary in the Ministry of Women Affairs, made available to Punch on Sunday, said that Oluwakemi further stressed that the state government will provide all the medical and physical care needed by the baby, as every child counts in the state, while also commending the good citizens who brought the baby to the ministry.
Chief Medical Director of Apalara Hospital, Luqman, revealed that the baby’s mother, who is a student, had earlier requested to terminate the pregnancy, adding that his counselling persuaded her to carry the pregnancy to term, but she later abandoned the baby after delivery.
The commissioner concluded that the Child Rights Law provides for the reintegration of abandoned babies into society through fostering or adoption, adding that due process must be followed and sufficient time allowed for mothers to reconsider their decision to give up or abandon their babies.