Zain Anbar
JEDDAH — Widad Charitable Society in Jeddah has expressed its willingness to sponsor abandoned babies below 2 years all over the Kingdom and provide them with necessary care and support, including women to breastfeed.
Speaking to Okaz/Saudi Gazette, Widad Chairman Hussain Bahry said: “We are also ready to take care of such babies at Aziziya Maternity Hospital in Jeddah on condition that the babies should not be under medical care in the hospital.”
The children included orphans and babies of unknown parentage. Bahry’s statement came in response to an investigative report published by Okaz/Saudi Gazette, which said the hospital “violated orphan rights”.
The babies’ living condition in the hospital was pathetic, he said, adding that they would be shifted to better facilities.
Okaz/Saudi Gazette published the report after a correspondent accompanied a female delegation from the National Society of Human Rights (NSHR) that visited the hospital to check on the condition of the babies.
“The poor state of these children should move everyone in the field. Philanthropists and volunteers should work to provide them with better living facilities,” Bahry said.
He expressed his organization’s readiness to study the condition of the babies in coordination with the hospital. “We’ll work with concerned authorities to enhance their situation,” he said, adding: “We’ll meet all the requirements of these children. We will hand them over to families who can take care of them and will find women to breastfeed them in accordance with Shariah rules.”
Bahry highlighted the existing cooperation between the society and the Ministry of Social Affairs. He invited the NSHR to visit the society’s shelter home in Makkah to see the standard of care given to children under the supervision of the ministry.
“The best solution to babies of unknown parents is to put them under the care of families with women who can breastfeed them. This will enable the children to build bonds with the family and live in a natural environment.”
Hani Taiba, director of the society, said: “We have presented a proposal to the Ministry of Social Affairs to sign an agreement with the society to take care of the babies of unknown parents and who are below 2 years.”
