ONE ABANDONED CHILD WAS ADOPTED IN BIHOR COUNTY

ONE ABANDONED CHILD WAS ADOPTED IN BIHOR COUNTY
by: Ana Minziu

Everyday in 2006, scores of newborns are forgotten by their mothers in different hospitals. The reasons for this are many, including poverty and unwanted pregnancies. In hospitals in Bihor county in the course of this year, so far approximately 150 newborns have been abandoned. Over 160 children have been abandoned so far in 2006. According to a statistical report from CPS Bihor, from Jan. through June of 2006, 158 children were abandoned in different hospitals. Ciprian Novac, spokesman for CPS Bihor, said, "Approximately 160 children were abandoned in different hospitals in Bihor county. At the Obstetrical and Gynecological hospital in Oradea, 59 children were abandoned. At the Children's Hospital "Gavril Curteanu" 64 children were abandoned, at the Municipal Hospital in Solonta 23 were abandoned, at the Municipal Hospital in Marghita 13 abandonments took place." According to a statistical report from Census Bureau, 26 of the abandoned children were placed in the care of maternal assistants, 2 were taken in by substitute families and 8 were transferred to the Children's Hospital 'Gavril Corteanu'. At the Obstetrical and Gynecological Hospital, there are still 13 abandoned children. All the others have been reintegrated into their natural families. According to specialists from CPS Bihor, at the Children's Hospital Gavril Curteanu 64 children have been abandoned since the beginning of the year. Novac further declared, "CPS Bihor decided to constitute a commission which will go to the Children's Hospital in Oradea in order to get a clear picture regarding the situation of abandoned children in this hospital. After examining the situation, this commission found 31 cases of abandonment, 8 cases of repeated readmissions and 31 cases in which the situation could not be determined exactly. These will be monitored by specialists from Bihor. We believe that some of them will go back to their families." At the moment, in the children's hospital Gavril Curteanu, there are 38 abandoned children.

A VERY POOR YEAR FOR ADOPTIONS

In 2005, CPS Bihor saw 95 children reintegrated with their natural families or extended families and 36 children adopted by different families in Romania. However, in the course of this year, there was only 1 adoption case registered so far. Ciprian Novac said, "At the moment there are 25 families who have been approved to adopt. Twelve of these have identified an adoptable child and only one of these has actually been adopted. In the other eleven cases, the adoptions are in different phases." In 2005, 33 children were given in foster care under emergency situations. Novac stated that, "We have 24 maternal assistants who are available for emergency placements. In 2006, we have had 25 children placed in emergency situations. In Bihor county, there are 365 maternal assistants who have a total of 459 children in their care. There are an additional 132 maternal assistants prepared to receive children."