Don't Spare Any Culprit Arrested For Child Harvesting - Lecturer

Dr. Benjamin Okyere Ankrah, a lecturer at the Central University in Accra, says the culprits in the recent child harvesting at some hospitals should not go unpunished.

The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has reportedly arrested eleven persons comprising health officials and social workers in Accra for baby harvesting and trafficking.

The offenders included two medical doctors, two social workers, four nurses, two mothers and one traditional birth attendant who were arrested in a joint operation by the Medical and Dental Council and EOCO in December, 2020 at the Ridge and Tema General Hospitals.

The suspects allegedly sold two baby boys at a price of GH¢30,000 and GH¢28,000.

According to the Executive Director of EOCO, the babies have been rescued following investigations.

Addressing the issue on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Dr. Benjamin Ankrah bemoaned the practice which has long been going on in various hospitals.

He wondered the wickedness of the health officials to steal a mother's baby and sell to another.

He noted that there are some health officials who are sacrificing and doing a good job but ''this ugly thing will overshadow the good ones. It's not something that we should condone''.

He called on the security forces not to spare any person caught in baby harvesting or child trafficking so as to deter others from adopting this cruel behavior and also discourage the practice.

''They must investigate this issue thoroughly...The law must deal with the culprits'', he exclaimed.