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BENIN: Sorcery-linked infanticides persist in north

In northern Benin a baby born with a tooth, in silence or feet first is likely to be killed out of fear that the infant is cursed, according to local NGOs. Despite efforts to stamp out sorcery-linked infanticides, the practice persists. Mohamed Alidou with the Association for the Protection of Unfortunate Children (APEM) told IRIN that customs and ignorance about childbirth lead people to label some babies as cursed “abnormalities” who must be destroyed immediately - by throat-slitting,...

BENIN: Cotonou’s overlooked killer: air pollution

COTONOU Wednesday, October 01, 2008 (IRIN) - Health officials say air pollution in Benin’s economic capital, Cotonou, is an often-overlooked, undiagnosed killer that is as much of a health threat as the country’s leading cause of death, malaria. “People banalise pollution because no one ever made the link…between pollution, illness and death,” said UN Development Programme coordinator Mathieu Houinato. “They think as long as they can put up with it, it is okay. People do not understand the...

BENIN: Erosion-inducing coastal sand mining to be outlawed

COTONOU Friday, October 03, 2008 (IRIN) - Faced with rising sea levels and coastal erosion caused in part by coastal sand mining, carting away of free beach sand for commercial uses, the national government has begun a campaign to save its coastal sand by digging up sand inland, instead. But communities near these newly-created sand collection spots are fighting back. Paul Gbogbo, a farmer from one of the river sand mining sites, Abomey Calavi, told IRIN, “We want our compensation to be...

BENIN: Blood shortage proves deadly

COTONOU Wednesday, October 08, 2008 (IRIN) - Fear, a lack of blood donation supplies and ill-trained health staff have led to a dangerous blood shortage in Benin, said the head of the country’s blood donor association. “If the outcry over blood shortages were the same as the uproar over AIDS, we could avoid a lot of damage and death,” said Rynce Agassoussi, the president of the Beninese Association of Blood Donors. He said it is hard to know how many people die because of blood loss because...

BENIN: Widespread smuggled gasoline costs economy, lives

COTONOU Friday, October 17, 2008 (IRIN) - Up to 1,000 people die or are wounded every year in accidents caused by low-quality, high-lead smuggled gasoline that consumes victims in fiery accidents, according to Benin’s Ministry of Commerce. In 2007 the Benin government estimated that its oil-producing neighbour, Nigeria, supplied 551 million litres of contraband fuel, known as “kpayo” – “bad quality” in the local Fon language – compared to the regulated 81 million litres sold at gas stations...

BENIN: Screening out morally unfit crime fighters

COTONOU Wednesday, October 29, 2008 (IRIN) - One year after the country’s top anti-drug officials were sacked for alleged corruption, Benin’s new drug control boss has promised to revive the government’s fight against traffickers. Bertin Adanlè, director of Benin’s Office for the Control of Illicit Traffic of Drugs (OCERTID), told IRIN one of his first projects since taking over is to improve the quality of the country’s crime fighters. “To work in this field, you have to be demanding about...

BENIN: Screening out morally unfit crime fighters

One year after the country’s top anti-drug officials were sacked for alleged corruption, Benin’s new drug control boss has promised to revive the government’s fight against traffickers. Bertin Adanlè, director of Benin’s Office for the Control of Illicit Traffic of Drugs (OCERTID), told IRIN one of his first projects since taking over is to improve the quality of the country’s crime fighters. “To work in this field, you have to be demanding about the morality of the staff and to make that a...

WEST AFRICA: Taking on climate change as a region

Climate experts and ministers in West Africa have committed to coordinating national efforts to fight climate change, at the conclusion of an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting in Benin’s economic capital, Cotonou, on 22 October. Benin’s UN Development Programme representative, Edith Gasana, told participants “no country will be able to handle the struggle alone.” Experts on the UN-convened independent climate panel, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),...

BENIN: Widespread smuggled gasoline costs economy, lives

Up to 1,000 people die or are wounded every year in accidents caused by low-quality, high-lead smuggled gasoline that consumes victims in fiery accidents, according to Benin’s Ministry of Commerce. In 2007 the Benin government estimated that its oil-producing neighbour, Nigeria, supplied 551 million litres of contraband fuel, known as “kpayo” – “bad quality” in the local Fon language – compared to the regulated 81 million litres sold at gas stations in Benin. “Kpayo” is sold at roadside...

BENIN: Blood shortage proves deadly

Fear, a lack of blood donation supplies and ill-trained health staff have led to a dangerous blood shortage in Benin, said the head of the country’s blood donor association. “If the outcry over blood shortages were the same as the uproar over AIDS, we could avoid a lot of damage and death,” said Rynce Agassoussi, the president of the Beninese Association of Blood Donors. He said it is hard to know how many people die because of blood loss because hospitals do not indicate that as a cause of...