Swift action needed on baby dumping

There has been a chronic increase in the dumping of babies around the country. In a space of just eight days, four babies were found – two at the Otjomuise Water Care Works – and another at the Wanaheda Pump Station.

The most recent gruesome discovery was made at the Kupferberg dumpsite on the outskirts of Windhoek on Valentine’s Day. It seems not even threats of prosecution and bluster can change the attitude of especially young mothers, who continue to dump newborn babies. The dumping of babies has escalated and barely a month goes by without a case of baby dumping reported.

Grisly scenes of infants being dumped in rivers, dustbins and dumpsites has become regular occurrences. Psychologists believe that the young women who commit such heinous crimes are often immature and inexperienced leading to a situation that forces them to make decisions that are not often the best ones.

They mostly do that on the spur of the moment and the root causes are well-known. Such factors or reasons include tradition, as some young women fear rejection by their communities or family if they are found to have had a baby outside marriage. The economic state of the young mothers also contribute to baby dumping cases, as they are not able to raise a baby on their own.

What many mothers don’t know is that there are common risks involved when terminating pregnancy without receiving medical treatment afterwards.

According to Dr Nelago Tukondjeni Amagulu, a Principal Medical Officer of Obstetrics and Gynaecologist at a local state hospital, this includes severe bleeding and infection that may cause a woman to lose her womb.

It may also lead to the perforation of the uterus, bowels and even death. Although, such complications can be avoided if mothers seek medical attention, the possible solutions to the mothers who abandon their children still need to be addressed. Some members of society argue that the so-called baby-dumpers need help and no punishment should be meted out at them.

Others, however, feel that the same severe punishment given to baby dumpers should also be exerted on those who impregnate them in order for them to take responsibility for their actions. Although, no form of baby dumping should be encouraged in society, there is also a need for our lawmakers and authorities to stop being callous about this scourge without debating on possible solutions to end it.