Calabar health workers help mentally ill woman deliver baby

ayodele johnson

June 14, 2016 12:49 AM

It took the effort of a trader who was close to the mentally ill woman to get the attention of health workers, who were joined by the state commissioner for health.

Dr. Inyang Asibong and the mentally ill woman

Thanks to the help of health workers, a mentally ill woman has successfully given birth to a baby in Calabar, Cross River State.

According to Punch, the woman received assistance just as the baby was about coming out of her body.

This was aided by a woman identified as Ofon Umoh, who owns a shop around the place where the unknown mentally ill woman was found.

Through Umoh’s quick observation, some health workers came just in time to help her deliver the baby.

Giving an account of the incident, Umoh said, “She was a familiar face around this vicinity, but after a while, we did not see her for some time. She only resurfaced with pregnancy. I think she was raped.

“She returned some days ago and sat on the spot where she gave birth. We noticed that she had become restless since Thursday, but because we were not communicating with her, no one knew it was the labour pain that was disturbing her.

“It was when the baby started coming out that people called the health workers, who came here to assist her. The workers’ swift response also helped in easing the process for her.”

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Dr. Inyang Asibong, the Commissioner for Health, Cross River State was also part of the health team that came to the woman’s rescue.

She reportedly led an ambulance to the scene, and facilitated the transfer of the mentally ill woman to the hospital.

ayodele johnson