Invited guests in a radio show that took place at Isango, Inkoramutima, Ishingiro , Isangano , Izuba, radio 10 and Voice of Africa radios stations have underlined the importance of giving more importance to single mothers who are denied some services necessary to the well being of their babies.
The invited guests were Nathan Mugume, from RBC, Uwayo J, Genevieve Ndayishimiye, and Jenny Uwimana , the later ones being journalists.
The core issue to discuss regarded poor services provided to single mothers who, once at the health centers, are denied some services, telling them to bring their fathers to health centers so to register their babies or to undergo specific diagnostic sessions during the pregnancy.
According to the journalists present to the show, such single mothers choose to bring ‘fake fathers’as to receive such services. Some of them pay money to guys to become the ‘fathers’ of the babies.
This hinders single mothers to receive needed services that are beneficial to the babies such registration and medical exams during pregnancy, one of the journalists in the show has observed.
The representative of the RBC said that the law forbids the medical practitioners to deny services tot the pregnant mothers be it single or married.
If medical practitioners hinder single mothers from receiving medical care they need medical practitioners are violating the law, Mugume said.
Receiving medical care is a fundamental right to both mother and baby so medical centers should respect these rights, he added.young girls are
A journalist said that many of the single mothers got pregnant while they were still minors thus are fearful to bring their so-called husbands to medical centers especially as those fathers do not recognize their offspring.
Listeners who intervened in the show said this should stop because it has negative impacts to the lives of both mother and children particularly.
It is a issue that has to be dealt with and let mothers feel comfortable and healthier, Mugume underlined. If medical practitioners do not respect the rights of both mothers and babies they are susceptible to the under legal pursuit .
Regarding the role of the media to cover such stories relating to public healthy, the common issue was that some media houses do not have either finance and or will to cover them but rather focus on political or economic issues that are likely susceptible to earn money to the company.
At the international scene the show mentioned the current political and military crisis in CAR where President Michel Djotodia has resigned two days ago and what is likely to happen afterwards.
This weekly show encourages Rwandans to develop the culture of debate on different issues that relate to Rwanda. It is planned jointly by IPP and ARJ.
It takes place every Sunday from 2h00- 3h00.
UM– USEKE.RW
