Congenital Malformation : A Traumatic Situation…

The happiness and excitement that comes with the birth of a baby is gradually fading away in some families in the country. The natural looks of some babies have instead provoked wailing from family members. Some babies look nothing close to a human. Such is the situation in a family at Akonolinga in the Nyong and Mfoumo Division in the Centre Region.
The picture of the baby circulating on social media is frightening. Some people have taken the image to be that of a monster. But, information from hospital sources indicate that the baby was delivered by a woman staying at Akonolinga. Those who have mustered the courage to examine the picture say the baby looks exactly like a frog. That which is evident on the baby is the bulging eyes, and a very flat head. The arms and legs are visibly weak and falling apart. The baby is unnecessarily fat for a newborn.
While the video of the baby is circulating on social media, one could hear the wailing of a woman in the background. It is indeed a pathetic cry for help on a situation nobody seems to understand. According to the Director of the Mother and Child Centre of the Chantal Biya Foundation in Yaounde, Professor Paul Koki Ndombe, birth defects are also known as congenital abnormalities, congenital disorders or congenital malformations. They can be defined as structural or functional anomalies (for example, metabolic disorders) that occur during intrauterine life and can be identified prenatally, at birth, or sometimes may only be detected later in infancy, such as hearing defects. Broadly, Pr. Koki says congenital refers to the existence at or before birth. However, many...