Sperm donation, in vitro fertilisation (IVF), surrogacy, and other specialised childbearing methods available to childless persons are being conducted within the country without any regulation.
Twenty-three-year-old Denise Vanga is one of many vulnerable women being paid pittances, by “baby agents” to carry life within them for special clients but left to live in deplorable conditions.
She rented out her womb to an unknown client and is currently carrying quadruplets but is being cheated out of an agreement made with the fertility centre which “employed” her.
Denise says she was informed of the opportunity to rent out her womb by a friend who put her in touch with an agent, named only as Rashida.
Rashida introduced Denise to doctors at the Mount Camel Fertility Centre at Dowena, who promised an amount of GH¢10,000 for the child she was to bear for an unknown client.
She was also promised a monthly stipend of GH¢400 as well as a rented room for herself and her three-year-old son.
Denise underwent procedures at the City of Hope Medical Complex and Research Centre, after which she conceived.
In a surprise twist of fate, all four inseminated eggs placed in her womb proved viable; she is carrying quadruplets for a client she has had no contact with.
Despite fulfilling her end of the bargain, the promised rented apartment was never provided and according to her, the agreed upon stipend is insufficient to make ends meet.
Denise lives in an uncompleted building in Tema community 20. The building is covered in construction waste and mosquitoes feast upon her and her son at night.
The building lacks toilet facilities and has no running water. It is certainly not the best condition for an expectant mother.
Even more disturbing is her confirmation that no contracts were signed between her and the Mount Camel Fertility Centre.
Attempts by her to get the centre to stick to their end of the bargain pertaining to accommodation have proved unsuccessful and the 4-month-old pregnant woman is beginning to regret her decision.
Orphaned in 2007 and, she has been struggling to make ends meet so she saw the opportunity to rent her womb out as a godsend.
According to her, she was excited about the opportunity because it offered her a chance to help out someone who could not carry a child on their own while enabling her improve on her lot in life.
Meanwhile, a specialist at the Mount Camel Fertility Centre, Dr. Philip Kuffour is adamant that the burden of Denise’s accommodation falls squarely on the shoulders of the agent.
He however advised that Denise contact her agent, as “I don’t know if it is the agent who is cheating her.”
When it comes to surrogacy, he says, the surrogates are not permitted to meet with the clients. The centre is only responsible for the medical needs of the surrogates and there is no reason for them to contact the clients.
He revealed that all bills pertaining to the surrogate’s treatment are covered by the clients and that Denise was being catered for.
Public relations officer of the Ministry of Health, Tony Goodman confirms that there is no law regulating surrogacy in the country.
“The problem is not only with surrogacy,” he revealed, adding that egg transplants and sperm donation are also not being regulated.
The PRO revealed that the “ministry is developing a service policy which will serve as a legal document to lead that sector” in a bid to regulate the services.
He sympathised with Denise, despite his insistence that she should have had “some written contract” with whoever she was dealing with before undergoing the procedures. Myjoyonline.com
