A teenage girl has abandoned her newborn baby in a hospital in Anambra State and fled soon after delivery.
Daily Vendor gathered that the abandonment of the baby in the health facility prompted owner to take the baby to the Commissioner for Women’s Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Ify Obinabo.
Confirming the incident, Media aide to Obinabo, Chidinma Ikeanyionwu said her Commissioner had since handed the baby over to the teenager’s grandmother, with strict instructions that the baby should no longer be under the teenage mother’s care.
Ikeanyionwu said, “Anambra State Women and Social Welfare Commissioner Honourable Ify Obinabo has handed over the baby abandoned by the teenage mother to her grandmother.
“The Commissioner did the handing over in her office in Awka and noted that the baby was brought to her by a doctor after the young mother abandoned the child in his hospital after delivery.
“Hon Obinabo lamented high rate of child abandonment among teenage girls and urged them to stop.
“She went ahead to charge parents to equally treat their girl children with love anytime there’s such an incident instead of sending them out to fend for themselves.
“She united the newborn with her family and instructed strictly that the baby be under the care of the grandmother and not the teenage mother.
“She mandated them to always come to the ministry every two weeks to ensure that all conditions are met and strictly adhered to.”
Obinabo has become popular for her role in ensuring the welfare of women and children, including protecting the rights of vulnerable people.
