County Inspector Warns Midwives

Margibi County Inspector TarrSackie has seriously warned country midwives to desist from delivering pregnant women in the villages at their own accord. County Inspector Sackie said many midwives usually deliver pregnant women in villages or farms, instead of referring situation to clinics or hospitals in the county.

He acknowledged that at times while attending to birth in villages or farms, mistakes are made, resulting to the loss of lives of both the mother and the child or either of them.

He made the comments recently in Valley-Ta in the Larkayta Township in Margibi County when he represented the Margibi County Administration and officially opened the Valley-Ta Maternal Waiting Home.

He told his audience in Valley-Ta that a three-day conference was convened in Kakata wherein Commissioners, Paramount Chiefs, Clan Chiefs, General Town Chiefs and Town Chiefs from across Margibi agreed with the office of Superintendent John Z. Buway that the act should be abolished.

They also resolved that every man who has a pregnant wife must pay the amount L$700.00 Liberian dollars, out of which L$500.00 will be given to the midwives for maternity services at the maternal home, while L$200.00 will be given to the midwives at the home.

“You the husband, don’t let the Midwife to tell you let do it, God will help us and then you agree; we know that God will help; but when you pick the chance and then we get to know, the both of you will bear the penalty,” he warned.

He said a fine of L$1000.00 will be mandatory for any midwife who refuses to abide by the agreement.

“For the husbands, they will pay the amount of L$1,500.00 as fine if they allow the midwives to deliver their wives in the bushes or villages,” he said.

The Inspector also warned men to desist from abandoning their wives while at the maternal waiting homes, observing that some men only take their women to the homes and turned their backs without any concern.

“My people, small boy cannot make belle; so if you know that you are not prepared to support belle, please don’t make belle. Because some people can just carry their women at the maternal homes and turned their backs then they say we are all the same family; so the people at the maternal homes will help me-this is wrong because you will be putting another burden on other people,” the Inspector indicated.

“Commissioner (Omega Moses Sawyer), any man who will be found abandoning his pregnant wife, bring him to us and we will teach him how to be responsible,” he instructed.

His comments come following reports from the Wohn Maternal home that men were in the constant habit of abandoning their pregnant women while at the home.