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Govt has funds to help mothers of twins, triplets…
2005-11-03 07:05:04
By Joyce Mkinga
The government sets aside between 60m/- and 70m/- to support needy women, especially those who give birth to more than two babies.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Youth Development and Sports, Abubakar Rajabu, told The Guardian in an exclusive interview that the government usually sets aside enough funds for the Social Welfare Department, which cater for such problems.
He said the government acknowledges the plight of women who give birth to triplets or more babies and their families who lead a difficult life and sometimes have to ask support from the public and that is why it has set aside enough money to support such groups of people.
However, he said, the money is rarely being used, and instead such people often visit media houses to present their problems in a bid to drum up support from Good Samaritans.
Rajabu said the public, including the international community, has also been in the front line to support such women and their families.
He said these women have also been flocking to the Msimbazi Orphanage Centre asking for nutrition support where most of them have been getting milk for their children.
The Permanent Secretary said, however, that it seems the public is not aware that the fund exists and so don’t apply for it.
’The government has fund for the purpose but people are just ignorant of its existence. May be awareness is needed to enable people understand the position,’ he said.
However, Rajabu said the money is not distributed randomly, one has to go through processes that will clearly identify them and their needs.
He said an applicant has to go through the local government, which will evaluate the applicant’s needs.
’You can’t just come here with your five babies asking for government support, you have to go through some procedures that will identify your needs,’ he said.
The women who give birth to triplets or more babies might need different kinds of assistance including health, medical, clinical, financial and nutritional support, he said.
He said the analysis by the local government who interview the woman will give the overall picture on what type of support the applicant is supposed to be given.
However, this process of interview and analysis has been at the centre of the problem that surrounds women with triplets and more babies because it can take months or even years before one gets the assistance.
According Deogratius Mushi, a Social Welfare Department official at Msimbazi Centre, some women who gave birth to triplets and more babies have been flocking at the centre asking for nutritional support.
’It has been a trend that many women come here to ask for support, especially milk for their babies,’he said.
Mushi said the social welfare officers are directing most of the women who go to the centre from their respective places.Without giving the number, Mushi said many of the women who visit the centre asking for support have already applied for government’s support.
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