FAAI Condemns Illicit Trade In Babies

The Fertility Awareness Advocacy Initiative (FAAI) has strongly condemned the illicit trade in babies by unscrupulous people in Nigeria, even as it urged fertility challenged couples to seek medical attention.

The outgoing president, FAAI, Mr Omos Evborokhai, who made the call at the 10th anniversary of the Initiative, in Lagos, said FAAI strongly frowns at baby factories, saying  the law also frowns at it.

While urging fertility challenged couples to go through the medical route, which is safer, he said, “If you want to adopt, please adopt legally, but if you want to go all out, then seek medical intervention which is safer, instead of going through the back door to buy babies.

‘’ You are only deceiving yourself and the law will catch up with you. If you have headache, you go to the pharmacist; if your car has problem, you take it to the mechanic; if you are battling with infertility, then seek the attention of a medical expert, rather than keeping innocent girls, holding them hostage, until they conceived and give birth, which is a criminal act,” Evborokhai advised.

The former president revealed that FAAI is a support group that provides fertility challenged Nigerians with support, information, and education, adding that it is a platform for women and men experiencing infertility to connect with one another, to discuss their situations and to receive support from others who have had similar experiences or who are struggling with similar issues.

“For the past 10 years, we have been able to demystify the myths and misconceptions about IVF treatment and IVF babies. FAAI is all about creating awareness about legally recognized fertility options. We let people know that buying babies is not a recognized fertility option. It is either you are doing IVF, surrogacy or not,” he  stated.

Prior to the establishment of FAAI, Evborokhai claimed that couples who sought IVF treatment to address their infertility concerns were always reluctant to share their experiences for fear of stigmatisation by others around them; but with the start of the support group, people are becoming more aware of IVF, IVF children, and IVF procedures.

While handing over to the new executive led by Mr Kesena Igben, Evborokhai charged them with taking FAAI to a greater height and admonished them to step up their move as they looked forward to achieving more under their administration.