DAILY GRAPHIC, Tuesday, January 1, 2013, Back Page. Woman sent to psychiatric hospital after birthlenged woman to deliver

Story & Pictures: Mary Ankrah

The mentally-challenged woman sitting after delivering 
at the Abeka-Lapaz trotro station in Accra

A WOMAN, believed to be mentally-challenged, has been admitted at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital for medical attention after giving birth to a bouncing baby girl yesterday behind a house at Abeka-Lapaz in Accra .

The woman, who gave her name as Joyceline Akyaa Bonsu, delivered the baby at dawn yesterday with the assistance of a resident in the area.

Her groaning at the back of the house during labour attracted Madama Beatrice Owusu who went to her aid to deliver her of the baby at 4:30 a.m.

According to Madam Owusu, she was asleep when she heard the unusual sound from the back of her house.

The good Samaritan said when she came out to check on what was happening she saw the woman going through labour.

After delivering her of the baby “I was confused because I didn’t know how to cut the umbilical cord to separate the mother from the baby” but luckily enough, a Zoomlion worker came to help her and cut the umbilical cord.

Mother and child were later sent to the Kaneshie Polyclinic for medical care after which the baby was separated from its mother.

At the polyclinic, the Principal Nursing Midwifery Officer, Ms Elizabeth Sowah, said although the delivery was properly done the umbilical cord was not well cut.

Joyceline told the Daily Graphic that she hailed from Apedwa near Koforidua in the Eastern Region.

She said she could, however, not locate her relatives who live around the Nima hospital.

Joyceline gave her parents' names as Maame Serwaa and Mr Osei Bonsu.

The bouncy baby girl lying in the Good Samaritan’s room at Abeka-Lapaz

She also gave the name of the baby’s father as Jonathan Owusu, with whom she had eight other children.

When Madam Owusu was preparing to report the incident to the Tesano Police Station, a woman, Ms Serwaa, who claimed she operated a non-governmental organisation (NGO) engaged in an argument with Madam Owusu to give her the baby to be sent to the police station.

Madam Owusu refused and reported the incident to the Tesano Police which referred the matter to the Department of Social Welfare.

Not satisfied with Madam Owusu’s action, Ms Serwaa later traced her to the place and engaged in quarrel with her again.

Social welfare officials later sent the mentally-challenged woman to the Psychiatric Hospital for medical attention.