Josephina Mwashindange
ONDANGWA – A 35-year-old mother who delivered triplets at Onandjokwe last year has appealed for support to help raise her children.
The unemployed Helvi Shikomba gave birth to the three healthy babies in September last year. Her partner Joseph Shipito is also unemployed, while the couple has six children together.
She said it has been a struggle to feed the babies, especially with formula milk, considering her unemployed status.
According to Shikomba, the babies are still small and rely on both the breast and formula milk provided by the hospital.
“I thank the government programme of assisting mothers with formula milk, unfortunately, for the past months I went to collect the milk, I was told that there is no milk.
It was sad news to me because I do not know what to feed the babies since breast milk alone is not enough for them,” she said yesterday when this reporter visited them to deliver donated items from a Good Samaritan.
Walvis Bay-based Victoria Pohamba made the donation of the items possible. In an interview last year, nurses at Onandjokwe Lutheran Hospital acknowledged there was indeed a shortage of formula milk due to financial constraints.
In addition, they said requirements were streamlined only to provide for those in serious need.