Kupchi is head of Baby Hanatu Foundation, a charity organisation named after the wonder college girl who turned 11 on February 11, this year. Kupchi, during Baby Hannatu’s birthday, said she was moved by the pain that childless couples face, especially those who do not have the money to try the IVF method. Baby Hannatu was born on February 11, 1998, to the Kupchi family after a conception through the IVF operation carried out by a team of surgeons headed by Dr Ibrahim Wada, now the medical director of Garki Hospital, Abuja.
Kupchi who says Hannatu is a normal child in all ramifications and a bundle of joy also charged wealthy Nigerians, corporate companies, politicians and all to contribute to the Baby Hannatu Foundation to help fund IVF procedures that would help childless couples out of their misery.
“People call me night and day to say they wish to do IVF but lack the money. I feel their pain and want to contribute to efforts of raising the necessary funds for such people. This is why we started the Baby Hannatu Foundation and this is why I am devoting the rest of my life and energy to the cause of giving hope to others,” said Kupchi.
She revealed that her family paid N150,000 12-years ago when Baby Hannatu was being conceived which is a far cry from today’s cost that is approximately N1 million. She therefore appealed to governments at all levels to start an intervention programme the way it is doing for people living with HIV/AIDS; in order to assist poor, childless couples to have complete families with children.
Meanwhile, IVF specialist and obstetrician, Dr Ibrahim Wada who has done over 1, 000 IVF operations so far, said Nigerians have nothing to fear as children conceived through the technology assisted method are like any children conceived through the natural process.
The test tube baby procedure is being facilitated by Baby Hannatu Foundation and Wada-led Garki ultra-modern District Hospital in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
