INFERTILITY DEY CAUSE SERIOUS GBEGE AND STIGMATIZATION AGAINST AFRICAN WOMEN

Oya my people, run come, abeg run waka fast, make you no miss this one o… oya sidon, so that you go fit farabale, calm down, read this important palava wey dey ground… no do mistake ignore this one o…

According to the info wey dem gather full ground, dem talk say millions of Nigeria women wey dey suffer from dehumanisation, just because say their body no dey sabi collect sperm wella, to conceive pikin. And for most cases, dem dey always throw blame give them, say most of them dey barren, as their common sense no gree teach dem say, our men fit be the cause of the gbege sef.

One recent statistics wey World Health Organisation show, the statistic talk say more than 180 million couples ( 1 for every 4 couples) for developing countries dey suffer from primary or secondary infertility… chai this one no be small thing o…

WHO talk say na infections dey cause infertility for Africa, with 85 percent women compared with dem 33 percent worldwide… this dey really stress on the importance of prevention programmes for ogbodo Africa.

This na why Merck, one ogbonge pharmaceutical and chemical company launch one better initiative wey them dey call “Merck More than a Mother” initiative, the aim, na to combat infertility and those stigmatization wey dey associated for ogbodo Nigeria.

This launching sele first, for Lagos and them come waka go Abuja too, wey bring women leaders, policy makers, parliarmentarians, academics, fertility experts with other people together, to yan the way forward, to fit combat, identify and implement confirm strategies wey fit improve access to effective, safe and regulated fertility care for ogbodo Nigeria and to find interventions wey go fit decrease social suffering wey dey arise from infertility and childlessness.

E get one of the experts, for Lagos, one Chief Social Officer, Merck, him name na Dr. Rasha Kelej, him talk say the “Merck More than a Mother” initiative dey imperative for Africa, as say the consequences of infertility dey very much dramatic in developing countries and this fit create more ranging social and cultural palava compared to Western societies, particularly women dem.

Oga Kelej come talk say “the strong thing wey dey associated with infertility na say, the thing fit transform from acute, private distress to harsh public stigma with complex and devasting consequence… nna mehn no be small grammar.

“For some cultures, women wey no get pikin them, still dey suffer discrimination, stigma and ostracism. This na the inability to get any pikin or to carry bele, wey dey result person to dey isolated, disinherited or assaulted. e fit result to divorce or physical and psychological violenece… chai this one no be here o.

“Through this “Merck More than a Mother” initiative, all dem stakeholders together, even women leaders and policy makers, parliamentarians, academia, fertility experts, community and media go fit  challenge perception of infertile women dem, their roles and worth for society, both inside and beyond the medical profession so that dem go fit achieve a systemic shift for the current culture for gender discrimination for the context for fertility care for African Societies and address solutions to change mindset and to fit upgrade the healthcare services.”

For her own part, senator Tejuosho come affirm say stigmatisation of dem women and mothers wey get infertility challenges, need much attention, teju talk say. “Na fact say out of every four Nigerian couples, one dey, wey get infertility challenges.

The statistics simply show say infertility need ogbonge serious attention and we need to dey focus on how we fit make health institutions dey accessible for infertility management o.

“E dey true say plenty plenty women dey really face infertility stigma, and this na serious challenge for ogbodo Nigeria. We wan stop am. We also wan increase advocacy against the notion say na only the women dey suffer infertility. People gas know say 50 percent infertility palava, na men dem dey cause am.”

Similale, Infertility Advocate and Member, Kenyan Parliament, one Hon. Joyce Lay reveal say, wetin inspire her to lead the campaign against say make people stop to dey stigmatize women with infertility palava upandan for Kenya and Africa na say because she get that personal experience for body too, as per say she get serious difficulty to get belle, talkless of to get pikin after wey she don marry.

Lay talk say “Lack of info and lack of access to better better medical and healthcare services, dey part of wetin dey contribute to large cases of infertility for ogbodo Africa. As a member of parliament, I notice say for Africa, governments too dey commit funds for the budget for family planning programmes, but no dey keep budget for infertility. So, I no get option, than to use this opportunity to make sure say Kenyan government enter board, to see say infertility na one big pgbege and all of us patapata must dey involve.”

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