Posted by Jide Bakare, Ilorin on
KWARA State government has raised alarm over increasing rate of pregnancy among lunatics in the area.
KWARA State government has raised alarm over increasing rate of pregnancy among lunatics in the area.
It also decried rampant cases of child abandonment in Ilorin, the state capital, and other parts of the state. Consequently, the government has appealed to residents of the state to join forces with it to check the menace.
Addressing newsmen Tuesday, Social Development and Culture commissioner, Pastor M.O. Awojobi, disclosed that between July, 2004, and June, 2005, the state recorded 12 cases of lunatics giving birth.
Emphasising that the development was worrying the government, he noted however, that it was determined to put a stop to it.
"Pregnancy among lunatics is now on the increase and has become a source of concern to the ministry. The menace is a new dimension and the ministry is already mobilising to step up its enlightenment campaigns and drawing up monitoring strategies and sanctions against culprits", he said.
He said the ministry has since its creation in September, 2003, been picking up and treating many lunatics in conjunction with non-governmental organisation (NGO), Olokun Trado-Psychiatrics Home.
According to him, 50 lunatics have so far been rehabilitated since them.