Nesting pregnant women in crisis

DR JEAN KAGIA is an obstetrician and gynaecologist who has a soft spot for children. For this, she has designed a nest that will save women from abortion-related deaths. She spoke to KIUNDU WAWERU.Remember the sensational debate on abortions during the drafting of the Constitution and later on the run-up to the referendum? The question then was when does life begin— at conception or birth?Dr Kagia with one of the awards she has received. [Photo: KIUNDU WAWERU/STANDARD]One of the vocal pro-life campaigners was Dr Jean Kagia. Then and now, she maintains that 21 days after fertilisation, a baby’s heart begins. Consequently, every abortion stops a heart. But Dr Kagia’s battle with abortion did not start or stop with the Constitution. In fact, hers is a day-to-day emotional battle. You see, while practising as an obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr Kagia is forever confronted by two conflicting interests. One is about women who have tried everything to have a baby, but for some reason cannot. Second, are the ones who are desperately trying to terminate pregnancies. "I am a Christian doctor. I believe you should not destroy life," she says adding that abortion is a social rather than a medical problem. "For a long time, I thought and knew that only a national forum could battle the abortion problem."create awarenessIn the year 2000, Dr Kagia was chairlady of Christian Medical Fellowship of Kenya that comprises of doctors and dentists. There had been talk of legalising abortion in Kenya and the fellowship, together with Crisis Pregnancy Ministries, convened a meeting of churches to raise awareness against abortion.From this, the Pro-Life Movement Trust (PLM) was born and it went on to create awareness on the dangers of abortion. PLM claims there are an average of 800 abortions a day in Kenya despite the complications that include bleeding, infection, infertility and even death."In fact," says Kagia, "from my experience, some of the people who are unable to have children procured an abortion earlier in life."At its worst, abortion complications kills about 3,000 women annually in Kenya. Kagia says that for a long time, the church was vocal against abortion, but at the same time not giving an alternative."We asked the churches to come up with practical solutions as many women and girls seek abortion because they have real or imagined reasons," she says. Some are young girls who get pregnant while still in school, others had their boyfriends take off into thin air and had been rejected by their parents. Others say they lack the means to bring up the child. Last year, the PLM came up with a solution that has been hailed as ideal to curb the problem of unplanned pregnancies — rescue kiotas (nest).Kiota is a kind of maternal shelter. The first one, a four-bedroom bungalow in lush green Kiambuthia in Murang’a, has since housed 20 pregnant women, the majority being secondary and primary school girls.These were women who had been rejected by their families and partners. To most, the only alternative was abortion. For now, the women at Kiota would like to remain anonymous but each has a story. For instance, there is a Congolese woman who was raped while seeking asylum. She has since given birth to a beautiful baby boy whose name is telling — Victor.Another story that stands out for Kagia is of a young girl estimated to be 12 years old. She could not speak, though she could hear, and her feet were jigger-infested. She did not know how to use the toilet and she answered the call of nature whenever the urge hit her. The other girls took her as their baby sister and within two weeks, she had learnt how to use the toilet."We brought in two specialists and both said the girl might have lost her speech due to trauma. To date, I never cease to wonder what kind of a man could have impregnated her," she laments.life skillsNine of the women have already given birth and reunited with their families.At the shelter, the girls are taught life skills, Bible study, Christian values and forgiveness."We have realised that our society loves babies. When people see the babies, they forget the conflict that was there and embrace mother and baby," says Kagia.And perhaps it’s this societal love for babies that has seen an awesome response to the rescue kiotas. The Murang’a home was donated by a couple and the goodwill followed with two other houses given for free in Kwale, Naivasha and Kitale. The houses are being prepared to start taking in pregnant women in crisis.The Murang’a rescue kiota runs mostly on the goodwill of the community. They donate food, clothes and money. Someone even gave a cow.The women currently at Kiota Murang’a, aged between 12 and 30 come from all over the country. Dr Kagia says that they hope to have a Kiota in each of the 47 counties by the year 2020. Last year, the Kenya Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society awarded Dr Kagia for improving women’s health.

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