By Garmah Never Lomo in TUBMANBURG, Liberia
Some citizens in Tubmanburg, Bomi County, western Liberia have recommended to Merck Foundation through the office of the Liberia’s first lady madam Clar Weah that lacal agents be present in various Counties, in order to boost awareness on stigmatization of people experiencing infertility.
The disclosure was earlier this week (Monday night) at a local Atayi shop known as “Base one social Atayi center” on the main Street of Tubmanburg.
According to people at the Atayi center, infertility stigmatization is a serious issue that need constant awareness because women suffer the most.
They also pointed out that if a local agent is present to constantly carry out this awareness, it will enlighten and educate community dwellers not to stigmatize people with women and men with infertility condition.
Although the media is playing its role, more need to be done in creating the awareness, the people in Tubmanburg noted.
They also said they never knew whether men too can be infertile, adding that if they are infertile they cannot be look at in the public but the women.
A member of the Atayi center, only identified as George, shared his experience saying that he and his wife were married for nine unbroken years and couldn’t bear a child.
Mr. George said after the nine years, he started making bad remarks to his wife and himself, expressing that despite the big amount of money he spent during the wedding, yet the woman he married has yet to conceive a child for him.
He added that in that process he started thinking what next he could do but while in that process, his wife got pregnant and gave birth to a girl child whom he named promise.
The Tubmanburg senior Atayi center member then admitted during his presentation, that “it was like I was talking to him because he blaming his wife for not bearing a child.
The awareness on ending stigmatization of people with infertility is being carried out under the theme: Say no to infertility stigma.
Meanwhile, members of the Atayi center in Tubmanburg have disclosed that going forward, they are now aware that not only women can be infertile. They have therefore promised to spread the message across their respective homes and workplaces.
“It was a very wonderful discussion after my presentation on infertility stigmatization which is a share responsibility for both men and women, there was an interaction with members of the Atayi center,” a representative of the group said.
The interactions there including a question and answer session, which lasted for about an hour.