Residents of Koforidua Effiduase, in the New Juaben North Municipality of the Eastern Region were shocked to see a newborn baby abandoned in a gutter, close to the St. Joseph Hospital Junction in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to pieces of information gathered by this paper, the baby was found in a folded black polythene bag with its umbilical cord and placenta attached. The baby seems to have been abandoned immediately after delivery.
A resident who spoke to this paper on condition of anonymity indicated that the baby was found dead in the gutter on Tuesday morning, adding that “I suspect the unknown mother might have abandoned the baby right after delivery.”
He further said, the baby has since been retrieved from the gutter and taken to the St. Joseph Hospital.
The by-stander attributed the situation to young mothers who are unable to provide for the baby due to poverty, or stigma surrounding teen pregnancies,or fear of societal reprimand and also lack of social support systems.
The residents have called on parents to demonstrate high level of parental responsibility, as well as raising awareness, improving access to reproductive health services and providing support systems for vulnerable families.
They further called on community organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations to promote adoption and foster care as alternatives.
As at the time of filing this report, the case was yet to be reported to the police in order to establish the circumstances that led to the incident, as well as identify the status of the unknown mother.
Infant abandonment has become prevalent in Ghana over the years.It is a criminal offence under Section 96 of the Criminal Offences Act of Ghana and the Children Act 1998.
