Thousands of women in Kenya are now doing drugs and substances, thus, endangering their lives and that of their unborn babies, writes LUCY MARONCHA
Halisha Mutune could not understand why her one-year-old baby was developing rashes on his soles. The baby, too, was ever sleepy and to Halisha, her son was just a “lazy infant.” He was not active like other growing children. While other children his age had long started playing and at least making efforts to walk, Halisha’s son was still far from crawling. In a nutshell, the baby spent most of his days asleep, and even when awake, he remained dull and inactive.
Halisha decided to mention it to the doctor when she took him for the mandatory clinic visit. After many questions, the doctor looked straight in Halisha’s eye and asked: “Do you take any intoxicating drugs?” Halisha was taken aback but had to admit the fact that she had been on drugs for more than ten years.
Because she needed help for her son, she admitted having used injectable drugs, was a heavy smoker, as well as a frequent alcoholic user.
“This is what is affecting your son,” the doctor said firmly. Although Halisha was introduced to a rehabilitation centre where she is still on therapy, her son was at risk from mental retardation, or a lifetime physical handicap.
Studies
A recent report by National Authority for Campaigns against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) shows that pregnant mothers who abuse drugs and alcohol risk the chances of exposing their children to Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, (FAS) a condition that affects the growth of children and may result to the child’s life time handicap.
Dr Helen Barsosio, a Kenya-based sexual reproductive health researcher, in a recent interview pointed out that alcohol interferes with the supply of oxygen and other nutrients from the mother to the unborn baby. This disrupts the normal development of brain cells as well as that of other body organs.
She further noted that mothers who abused drugs and alcohol during pregnancy are oblivious of the fact that the unborn child has little tolerance for intoxicants.
As a result, the baby is likely to develop serious mental and physical defects. She said that other children were born before term as a result of their mother’s abuse of drugs.
Barsosio advised that a woman who uses drugs and alcohol should stop the habit forthwith as soon as she conceived.
This she explained is because the risks of FAS increase with the amount of alcohol consumed and the number of times the mother of the unborn child consumes it.
In part, the Nacada report categorically stated: “There is no ‘safe amount of alcohol’ during pregnancy. Alcohol damages your unborn baby at any stage of development, both early and late pregnancy.”
Birth deffects
Other severe consequences of drug abuse in pregnancies mentioned in the Nacada report include low birth weight, a small head, small brain and small body size, severe mental retardation and learning disabilities, deformed or missing fingers and toes, and poor coordination of the body limbs, especially the hands and fingers.
Cases of women abusing drugs have been increasing in the Kenyan coastal region. Residents attribute this to the easy availability of drugs since most of the drugs get into the country by sea via the coastal region. There are also cases of sex abuse and juvenile sex work, which is equally suspected to be associated with the drug-trade in the coastal region.
A Kenyan NGO, which works with most at risk populations (Marps) said that they have been trying to assist women who use drugs and rehabilitate them to better livelihood. A worker in the organisation said that women who use drugs are more likely to be infected with HIV because their male counterparts and even the police harass them.
“Sometimes when I do not have money to buy drugs, I am forced to have sex with any man who offers me the drug in exchange” said a beneficiary of the organisation adding that she sometimes uses drugs to force her baby to sleep.
A 2010 Nacada survey to determine the prevalence of alcohol and drug abuse in Malindi, Mombasa, Kilindini, Kwale and Lamu districts of Coast Province revealed that 471,924 people had taken drugs at least once in their lifetimes. This is almost a third of the population of the targeted districts. The survey sought how well drug abuse can be addressed in the coastal region.
Drug abuse, especially in women and specifically pregnant mothers is, however, not only in the coastal region alone. The habit has found its way in other parts of the country. The Government admits that there is need for urgent redress, considering the dangers facing the unborn babies if their mothers are drug-abusers.
