Family Lock Up HIV/AIDS Child To Die

...they fear Getting Infected.
Kalbeo (U/E), March 10, GNA - A family at Kalbeo village near Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region locked up a three-year old girl for nine days without food, apparently to kill her for fear that her mother is alleged to have died of HIV/AIDS, and that other members of the family could be infected.

The little girl has been rescued and sent to the Anglican Mother and Baby Home in Bolgatanga where she is currently under the care of her elder sister and the management of the Home.

The Manager of the Home, Mrs. Rebecca Ayanoore, who confirmed the story told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview at the weekend that, about a month ago, one Mr. Rex Asanga, a development worker with the Diocesan Development Office of the Catholic Church in Bolgatanga brought the girl to the Home.

She explained that according to Mr. Asanga, the mother of the girl, Avombisi Assibi Azure, lost her husband sometime ago and so decided to go to Kumasi to look for work. She added that while in Kumasi, Assibi found a boyfriend, Kwaku Oppong, at Bantama, a suburb of Kumasi and they had an issue, which is the little girl.

Under the Frafra custom, a dead man still owns children the wife gives birth to, once he has not perform the traditional rites to formally divorce the woman. So when Assibi returned from Kumasi due to ill health, she sent the little girl to her late husband's house as custom demanded.

Mrs. Ayanoore further explained that there was no one to take care of Assibi when her condition was critical so she went to her father's home village at Winkogo, also near Bolgatanga where she died later. She said Assibi's family then sent her body and the little girl to the husband's house at Kalbeo as custom demanded.

The Manager said when Assibi's family sent the little girl to her late husband's house occupants of the house also deserted the place leaving the little girl alone. "It was at this point that the head of the family was alleged to have tied one of the little girl's legs to a pole in the middle of the room and locked her up hoping that the girl would die in the process."

She said Mr. Asanga and a priest were informed about the little girl's condition, so they followed up to the house, rescued the girl and brought her to the Home.

The Manager indicated that the girl has tested HIV positive, and appealed to individuals and philanthropic organizations to come to the aid of the Home and the little girl with food supplements and drugs, saying there were other inmates in similar conditions whose parents had died of HIV/AIDS.

This reporter has paid a visit to the Home, seen the little girl's condition. She shows all the symptoms of the disease. She has grown extremely lean, restless and indeed needs support.

...they fear Getting Infected.
Kalbeo (U/E), March 10, GNA - A family at Kalbeo village near Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region locked up a three-year old girl for nine days without food, apparently to kill her for fear that her mother is alleged to have died of HIV/AIDS, and that other members of the family could be infected.

The little girl has been rescued and sent to the Anglican Mother and Baby Home in Bolgatanga where she is currently under the care of her elder sister and the management of the Home.

The Manager of the Home, Mrs. Rebecca Ayanoore, who confirmed the story told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview at the weekend that, about a month ago, one Mr. Rex Asanga, a development worker with the Diocesan Development Office of the Catholic Church in Bolgatanga brought the girl to the Home.

She explained that according to Mr. Asanga, the mother of the girl, Avombisi Assibi Azure, lost her husband sometime ago and so decided to go to Kumasi to look for work. She added that while in Kumasi, Assibi found a boyfriend, Kwaku Oppong, at Bantama, a suburb of Kumasi and they had an issue, which is the little girl.

Under the Frafra custom, a dead man still owns children the wife gives birth to, once he has not perform the traditional rites to formally divorce the woman. So when Assibi returned from Kumasi due to ill health, she sent the little girl to her late husband's house as custom demanded.

Mrs. Ayanoore further explained that there was no one to take care of Assibi when her condition was critical so she went to her father's home village at Winkogo, also near Bolgatanga where she died later. She said Assibi's family then sent her body and the little girl to the husband's house at Kalbeo as custom demanded.

The Manager said when Assibi's family sent the little girl to her late husband's house occupants of the house also deserted the place leaving the little girl alone. "It was at this point that the head of the family was alleged to have tied one of the little girl's legs to a pole in the middle of the room and locked her up hoping that the girl would die in the process."

She said Mr. Asanga and a priest were informed about the little girl's condition, so they followed up to the house, rescued the girl and brought her to the Home.

The Manager indicated that the girl has tested HIV positive, and appealed to individuals and philanthropic organizations to come to the aid of the Home and the little girl with food supplements and drugs, saying there were other inmates in similar conditions whose parents had died of HIV/AIDS.

This reporter has paid a visit to the Home, seen the little girl's condition. She shows all the symptoms of the disease. She has grown extremely lean, restless and indeed needs support.