By Never G. Lomo,garmahlomo@gmail.com
Zwedru, Liberia- Stigmatization of women and others because of their infertility is said to be on the rise in Southeastern Liberia.
Some infertile women here have blamed the Ministry of Health for not paying attention to their condition, but the Ministry has made a clarification.
A good number of women in Zwedru city, the capital of Grand Gedeh this outlet spoke with have blamed the Health for ignoring their infertile conditions. But Liberia’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Francis Kateh told this Reporter via mobile phone from Monrovia recently that what is happening is that the Health Ministry is preoccupied with reducing the high maternal and infant mortality rate in the country, something which the needed resources are not even adequate to tackle.
According to him, the Health Ministry was not neglecting the situation, but is having to address some of the most pressing conditions with limited resources.
But the women are of the view that the Ministry of Health is only focusing on other health issues without it defining programs to help solve their infertility problems.
Women in Zwedru said the Ministry of health should have created such a program like the one on infertility being carried out by MERCK Foundation to help reduce the high level of stigmatization against women with infertility problem.
The women wondered whether the Ministry of health even has an infertility division at the Ministry or just permanently keep this condition on the back burner.
While explaining his story, a man who is experiencing infertility condition, says that he and his wife have been together since 2007 but she has never experienced pregnancy.
Albert Wenjor, age 45 said that his wife she has also been complaining about infection always, but they have been taking traditional medicine, because he was told by community dwellers that his wife had hook worm. And he said they have also taken a form of anti-biotic, but to no avail.
According Albert, at certain point in time he did sperm count test at the Martha Tubman Memorial hospital in Zwedru city, but he was told by the medical doctor that he has low sperm count.
Mr. Wenjor further narrated the issue of stigmatization is the order of the day in various communities, with even some family members and friends helping to amplify the plight of people experiencing this condition.
Those affected often bring children of relatives in their homes to rear them, but at some point in time, their biological parents do take them away.
The wife of Albert Wenjor, Madam Joehana Sharty, age 41 told this Reporter that she had earlier conceived both 1993 and 1997, but the children did not survive.
Madam Sharty disclosed that ‘woman cannot born is her name’ and that more besides she has always been told by her husband’s family and community dwellers that “I can carry karosine but I cannot bring it back.”
Some women facing this condition of infertility have many stories to tell about the pressure they come under from relatives of their spouses and others, with some at times seeing them as laughing stocks.
According Joehana, her husband’s sisters are in the constant habit of making confusion with her, because of her being childless. She further said she’s always feeling something walking under her stomach, assuming that pregnancy is developing but it turns out not to be.
She expressed her frustration over the manner in which she been stigmatized by her husband’s family and community members to some extent that she is sometimes tempted to want to commit suicide. But during such moments, she takes solace in her faith in God and tries to console herself.
Also during a face-to-face interview another infertile woman, age 42 identified as Garmai Karbo she visibly looks upset about this condition. According to her, she conceives at times, but her children don’t survive, adding that the last time she conceived was 2012. Since then, she said she has never experienced pregnancy.
Explaining her frustration over the issue of stigmatization, saing whenever she asked people’s children to do chores for her, she is ridiculed and told to “born your own children.”
Another man with infertility, Varney Farmah said since he was born he has not been able to impregnate any woman.
He was once told by his former girlfriend that he will not born any child, because his sperm is very light, he explained. As a result, he added that no woman can stay with him due to his infertile condition.
Varney stated that although he been having sex with women for years, he has not been able impregnate any woman, something that continues to worry him. It “plays” on his mind day and night, he said.
Also speaking, another infertile woman, age 39 said since she gave birth twenty years ago, she has never been able to get pregnant.
Patricia Taley’s 1995 child is almost 20 years. Two subsequent attempts to have born children did not materialize.
In an interview, Madam Taley narrated that she has been stigmatized by community members, including her own husband. Sometime ago, her husband walked out of the home due to her condition, but later returned to her.
Despite his return, she said the love is still not strong, because there is no child she added.
Most often, she said her husband’s family would constantly give her tough time and mock at her and woman who cannot born.
At one point during the interview, Madam Taley broke down in teares, explaining her frustration. According to her, she has taken lots of country medicine but to no avail. Like other women in similar condition, she spoke of being told by some community dwellers that her infertility was due to hook worm, while there is no end to stigmatization.