Wife of former Lagos Commissioner and now National Legal Adviser of APC, Muiz Banire, Funmilayo, on Sunday held the 6th edition of ‘Walk For Life’ awareness campaign to sensitize the populace about the causes and prevention of stillbirth among pregnant women.
The program which was put together under the auspices of a non-governmental organization, Rhesus Solution Initiative saw a committed crowd of people walked from Isheri-Oloofin roundabout in Idimu area of Lagos State to Ikotun-Igando LCDA to enlighten Nigerians about the Rhesus factor
It is often said that ignorance kills, and this act of ignorance has oftentimes resulted into stillbirth popularly called ‘Abiku’ in Yoruba parlance during childbirth among some Nigerian women.
In primordial days, Yorubas traditionalists tenaciously held on to the belief that there are some babies that are ‘Abiku’.
The stigmatized babies usually die at birth or few days after their births. It’s widely believed then that there is spiritual connection to it and as such series of sacrifices are done to ensure that the trend stops.
Quite the contrary, medical research has proven beyond reasonable doubt that stillbirth is as a result of Rhesus factor in the pregnant women.
According to Mrs Banire, the founder of the NGO, Rhesus negative women, more often than not lose their pregnancies or have stillbirth.
She, however, advocates that rhesus negative woman must ensure that she takes anti-D or Rhogam injection when her pregnancy reaches seven months and before three days after her childbirth so as to prevent stillbirth or ‘Abiku’.
She also ditched out stern warning to womenfolk not to abort pregnancy and in case of loss of pregnancy, the affected woman should take anti-D or Rhogam injection before three days after the pregnancy loss.
While speaking further, Mrs Banire, in company of her husband, Muiz Banire (SAN), reiterated that the awareness campaign will soon be taken to schools across the state and also seeks cooperate and private bodies support in dealing with this scourge that have been bedevilling the society.
She advised further that couple should know their blood group and genotype in order to prevent having sickle cell children.
In his own speech, Dr. Banire enjoins every individual to contribute to development of Nigeria and wellbeing of its citizens as government cannot do it alone, that this is an initiative worthy of emulation.
Those who took part in the awareness campaign ‘Walk for Life’ were Lagos State Deputy Governor, Oluranti Adebule who was represented by a representative, Lagos House of Assembly member, Hon. AbdulSobur Olawale Olayiwola, former Lagos State Commissioner of Education, Olayinka Oladunjoye, former House of Assembly member, Hon. Abdulbaq Balogun, Aremo Michael Ikufisile, Executive Secretary of Mushin LG, Hon. Jide Bello, former Mosan-Okunola LCDA chairman, Hon. Rasheed Mafe, his counterpart in Agege LG, Hon. AbdulKareem Ayodeji and others too numerous to mention.
