A maternity hospital to save babies from infanticide

In the village of Sekogourou and beyond, in the province of Atakora in the Northern Benin, lives and endures a custom which consists in killing children who bear misfortune.

According to the hereafter laws, babies who were born and who grow up eerily are a threat for the family, the village, and the ethnic group because they bring illnesses and evil spells.
Presenting them to the executioner in order to open the possibility for them to be reincarnated is, then, a saving act for everyone which favours the harmonious life for the village.

If nobody knows the origin of this old custom, it seems that fear, denouncement and rumour have gradually infected the thoughts of Bariba people, lulled by the Voodoo, until "invent" over the years new execution criteria which favour the executioners' gains.

It is because the Reverend Father Pierre Bio-Sanou lived an execution within his family that he became aware of these taboo acts, hidden from all, and he decided to offer his life for this struggle.

To ease his isolation and study some actions, the Father Bio-Sanou solicited the support and the commitment of his three french friends to act together against this scourge.
During fifteen years, they tried to sensitize the more-touched population and the executioners. The mothers expressed the will to give birth in a more-intimate structure, which defends life.

Thus was born Espoir sans Frontières and Espoir lutte contre l'Infanticide (Esp fights against Infanticide) in Benin, two united partners which began with the population the construction of a maternity hospital which aims to protect the new-born lives:

To be born in breech position
To be born in the eight month
To be born with a sixth finger
To be born disabled

      To be born with teeth germs
To be born in the amniotic sac
To appear face downwards
      Whom the mother dies by giving birth

The maternity hospital activity quickly exceeded all the hopes, by being above the national rate, what proves that the mothers-to-be were afraid and still are afraid of the traditonal delivery at home and the possible identification of a witchcraft signs by the midwife.

Thus the maternity hospital of Sekogourou, officially recognized by the authorities, has represented for fifteen years, the simbol of the struggle against infanticide, started 30 years ago.

Over the years ...

In 1997, following the request of the local population, a health center was opened. It aims at fighting against new-born executions, but also older children who are victims of bad teething or any other anomaly which can be suspiscious for the village.
This Center inserts a center PMI (protection for mother and child) which favors the follow-up of the youngest children and which can be used as branch for the national campaign of vaccination. During consultations, a special vigilance concerns the anormal teething (the inferior incisors emerge before the superior ones).
The life of hundreds children (more than 13%) were saved without having interfered with the harmony of surrounding villages, to the astonishment of their unhabitants.	The Father Bio-Sanou was decorated with the highest national distinction for this commitment.

Until today, 2009...

From the beginning, the activity of the health center was important and constant, first of all because the project came from local wills which wanted to change custom, and also because the center met a real need to take into account the general health of this isolated population.

Little by little, mentalities are transformed because of the natural development of each society, but also thanks to the new generation which followed our sensitisation at schools (read our chapter on schools). However we have to be aware that a good many children meet precociously their death.
Babies who are born at home, in some villages where executioners still are active, represant the most-threatened population.

The financial and technical support of Espoir sans Frontières ceased in 2004, as it was forecasted in the programme. But, of course, some members of our NGO continue to go on the premises to keep in touch with this wonderful population, made up of Bariba and Peul ethnic groups.

Tuesday 10th february 2009

Expedition to the maternity hospital in Sekegourou

Gwen tries to buy a voltmeter tester in Natitingou: in the shop, he finds two, of an acceptable price but of mediocre quality so, after test, no one works. Antoine, a Yovo's acquaintance introduces us a friend who has a contact with François, an electrician in Kouandé : the latter should be able to find us a tester.

Bush taxi until Sekegourou with a stop in Kouandé: Antoine and his young burkinabe guide come with us...
Gwen will be able to make the researches.
On the premises, Nouredine, the male nurse accepts that we check the solar panels and the place of the maternity hospital.

I found that the maternity hospital received a lot of visits on Tuesday, 10th February.
Three babies are born in 24 hours... Old women with their children came with the mothers; there are a lot of people in the delivery room.
I found this room really dark...

Day of vaccination: a lot of women (almost 40) with their children. Each one want to be photographed with her child(ren).

According to Nouredinne Sanda (the male nurse) and Lamatou (trainee) there is a lack of basic equipment.
That is to say * examination tables and plasters, *gynecological instruments, *stethoscopes for adults and children * instruments for sutures.
Nouredinne also says that they need more staff ( there is a possibility of trainee recruitment since a School of auxiliary nurses would recently be opened in Parakou )
A moto could be very useful (to fetch children who have not vaccination or to made the vaccination on the premises)

On average: 20/25 deliveries/ month

Hospitalization length = 1/3 days

Staff = 1 midwife and 2 nurses (a nurse + a male nurse) ; an assistant ; a trainee auxiliary-nurse.
When we were there: midwife was undergoing training and replaced by the nurse.
In case of dificulties during the delivery: they call the Major, and there is a possiblility of transfer in Kouandé.
Opening of the Center from 8 a.m to 6.30 p.m. every day, with special days for vaccinations and consultations for good-health children.
Every day, prenatal consultations.

The surrounding area of the maternity hospital
were swept and clean.

The center just needs a good clean up of the earthenware, of the walls, the floors, a repaint of the walls above the earthenwares with a regular upkeep.
We supposed that women hung clothes up to dry on the solar panels but we think that it was false.
Solar panels are inaccesible because of the wire netting around the installation. A key is necessary to go in.
Our bush taxi is definitely "gâté" (wich is a local word to say broken) from Kouande and it can't bring us back to Nati.
Ousmane, who works with Paul Fagnon for Plan-Bénin as supervisor, recognizes us on the road and finds us another vehicles for the return.
I regret not having seen Pierre again in Tanguieta: but with 9/10 hours of bus from Ouaga and then with bush taxi to Nadiagou and Porga and then a bush taxi to Tanguieta and then again to Nati, just before night... therefore I will not see Pierre-Bio.

I had in my plan a stop to Pehongo to see the Father Patrick, current president of Elib (who should make a journey in Britanny last year but he didn't). However, no phone network worked... Pehongo is at 50 km from Natitingou, there are no locomotion means but bush taxi it means one day to go, one day to come back, plus a day there without the assurance to see Patrick. So, I decided to give up.

Michèle and some of her friends want to create an Elib branch in Cotonou. The Bishop of Nati said me that Bio-Sanou still is the more "active" for the campaign against the infanticide! And I believe him by seeing the Bio-sanou's car, decorated for the cause!