Government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the former conjoined twins Bupe and Mapalo, of Kawambwa Town, in Luapula province.
This follows reports of alleged negligence by the twins’ parents leading to the infants becoming malnourished.
ZANIS reports that Luapula province minister Nixon Chilangwa says government through his office is still committed to supporting and ensuring that the welfare of the twins is attended to, amicably.
Mr. Chilangwa said this yesterday when he visited the twins who are admitted due to malaria at Kawambwa District hospital.
Expressing his disappointment with the ailing twins’ parents absence by broadcast time when he visited them at the hospital, Mr. Chilangwa said time has come for government to take full responsibility of the infants.
He said that the former co-joined twins had become a national asset as government invested a lot of resources in the landmark and historic surgical separation of the former conjoined twins at the University Teaching Hospital this year , hence the need to take custody of the children.
And Kawambwa District Medical Director Arthur Mataka revealed that apart from malaria the twins are also suffering from malnutrition adding that the hospital is working on improving their nutrition levels.
Dr. Mataka also expressed concern at the long distance between the hospital and the twins’ home as it has become increasingly difficult for medical staff to regularly check on the twins.
some parents awe mwandi.
Mwamona Ba Ester kulibwenesha. Here we go, adopt the twins, are they not “innocent” looking?
The fact is there is too much poverty in Luapula and it is time Chilangwa and his PF faced up to it. The parents to these children who surely must have special needs cannot afford some things expected to look after these children. Kuli insala mwebanthu
No wonder majority people from Luapula are stunted
Iwe Nostradamus kupusa! Kekekekekeke! It was the reporter who described the Lusaka baby as innocent not the first Lady
The government should have proper child protective services in the country, as there are many more children, other than these two, who need protection from parental or guardian neglect or abuse. Set up a child welfare system in the country to cater to this. Also set up government children’s homes for street kids who have no parents to care for them. A place where they can live in a good conducive environment and receive education, funded by the government and individual donors. And more importantly, create jobs and fight corruption. Child neglect sometimes is not intentional. It’s just that parents can’t find jobs, because the economy is bad and there’s bad governance in the country. So fight corruption, improve the economy and create jobs, and you’ll see the problems of street kids…
… and child neglect drastically reduce.
Government wants to adopt the twins? I think the Ministry of social welfare should take up the matter and place the twins on a special monthly grant and closely monitor their growth and progress
That would make more sense than just saying that they have become government’s property. We need to understand the laws that are required.
Social cash, what is it for?
What is translating into negligence here? Does he know where the mother went and for how long she was out?? Malnutrition also is not an indication of negligence, the minister should take keen interest to understand the economic standing of the parents before making such a comment, there is poverty out there…. The minister should be very concerned with the Doctor’s comment to say people travel long distances to access health facilities. The hospital which probably has a utility vehicle is complaining of distance… what more the poor family who might not even have a bicycle??
And look at the minister’s reasoning ati government spent a lot of money on them, wherever Sata got these dull characters….
Adopt the kids and tomorrow the same parents will.produce another. We are all hustling – times are hard and malnutrition is not always about neglect but about eating a non balanced diet because the parents cannot afford. Let government give the father something to do and not adopt the children. Who says they dont want their kids
They already have a baby, i saw on ZNBC news when Chilangwa visited the family. I was shocked to see how different the twins looked, for real they are malnourished.
Ba minister can you be a little reasonable please. Why did you rush to blame the parents of being negligent before talking to them. I understand the doctors explanation on the distance from t.he hospital. If the hospital which has transport fails to reach those areas what can a poor parent with two sick children do. After the operation you knew that those kids were GRZ assets but you forgot about them, but now you wake up to tell us your usual stories. God help the children.
Let us hope that the parents are not drinking alcohol with the money meant to care for the children.
What has the long distance to do with malnutrition? For malnutrition of the kids, it is obvious parent’s responsibility. How can you blame malnutrition on distance?
If it’s difficult and expensive to provide a good meal to a family of four both parents and children hw much more is it for a family of the same size but whose children need special medical attention and diet
They should have been following the progress just after leaving UTH.After
a big operation like this one they must
Have kept them in lusaka for observation.
Actually, if you have been following the latest developments, the mother is pregnant again if she has not given birth yet??? According to her, traditions demands that she quickly get pregnant again to have another child after a set of twins whom they will call CHOLA. Ayasu a bemba!!!! But the truth of the matter is that the parents need to take care of their children despite the poverty being talked about here. Osati vonse ati Boma Iyai!!!!! The father is a young man who needs to trot around for his children. If he can manage to cause the pregnancy, then he should have the capability to look after the children as well. That’s the rule of the thumb.
I hope I can get this King Thumb to enforce his rules. So many people disobey the rule of the Thumb
I Wonder why you are blaming the minister.The government has come to help the children so what s the problem.
Well the minister and his government might as well adopt the more than 2 million malnourished Zambian children out there. What a s!lly comment exposing his government’s negligence of the people of Zambia.
Good, very good. May GRZ now convert all malnourished and poverty stricken children into GRZ property. A myriad of parents in Zambia are incapable of taking care of their children and need to be bailed out by government. Congratulations GRZ.
Parents are not to blame. How can they take care of twins if the economy is biting. The government should understand what people are going through. Not everyone can afford three meals per day. Parents are not neglecting their twins, all they need is financial support to make ends meet. After surgery, they need to be monitored by doctors on regular basis.
If only people follow the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ: for those who have, share with those who do not have. Luapula Province and indeed Zambia has so many rich people.
Don’t you think the saying… dont give a man a fish.. instead him how to fish would be better in this situation…coz after sharing.. the poor will eat and start asking again.. coz their were not taught how to earn
….and bachilibaledodana….producing more….bambi balebashikako utupunda….it makes me feel nauseous when I read about such nonsense…..do your legalized sex in so called marriages but please don’t produce souls to make them suffer in this poverty stricken malnourished country…..the poverty in homes is so high and if I had powers I would stop reproduction…..it’s so pathetic to even imagine so called parents doing it when they kids will have nothing worthwhile to chew on…..I wonder…I just wonder in awe…
You people! Whats so special about the twins? How about the other kids suffering. Come up with a social services program for children in general
Let’s be careful not to mistake poverty (the fact that the parents are poor and thus can’t afford to provide nutritious food to the twins) for negligence. They have already gone so much anguish with those to babies only to start neglecting them now. Let the department of social welfare do their work. Millions of Zambian children especially in rural areas suffer from malnutrition. Clearly, the social cash transfer is limited.