Jehovah’s Witness and Blood Transfusion: BRCI and Emergency Protection Order for Child in Cross River State -By Leo Igwe

Humanist Enabling Love Project(HELP) applauds the Basic Rights Counsel Initiative (BRCI) for obtaining a court order to treat a baby, Ruth Oham Samuel, who urgently needs a blood transfusion in Calabar, Cross River state. According to the information made available to HELP, doctors at the university teaching hospital recommended an urgent blood transfusion for Ruth, or she would pass away within 72 hours. But the parents of Ruth declined, stating that they were members of Jehovah’s Witnesses and their faith did not allow blood transfusion. Some people at the hospital notified BRCI, drawing their attention to the imminent death of the baby. BRCI, a child rights organization based in Calabar, quickly intervened. The organization approached the family court in Calabar and secured an emergency protection order for the baby.

In a document signed by the Registrar, Kate Michael Enoh, and made available to HELP, BRCI in furtherance of the Child Rights Law of Cross River state 2023, directed the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital and one Mr. Oham Samuel Oke: “to administer Blood Transfusion and/or such medical intervention as may be reasonably required to preserved {sic} the life and wellbeing of Ruth Oham Samuel(f) 2 years, 9 months currently in their care”. The document further states” That an order is hereby made dispensing with the consent of the parent of the said Ruth Oham Samuel in the light of the urgent medical necessity”. Based on this court directive, the hospital would administer a blood transfusion to the baby.

HELP commends BRCI for taking this life-saving measure. It urges medical officers to be vigilant and ensure that parents and guardians do not endanger or undermine the health and treatment of children using their mistaken and misguided faith positions. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe, based on biblical texts Genesis 9:4, Leviticus 17: 10, Acts 15:28–15:29 that blood transfusion is not allowed by God. So, Witnesses do not take blood transfusion, or allow blood transfusion for their children and wards because blood transfusion is a transgression of divine order.

Incidentally, this is not the case. There is no Jehovah who issued directives, as Witnesses popularly believe. Jehovah is an abstract or imaginary being. The Bible is not the word of God, as Jehovah’s Witnesses mistakenly hold. The teachings in the Bible are human, not divine; they are the thoughts and ideas of human beings who lived centuries and millennia ago. The Bible contains and codifies views of pre-scientific and premodern humans who knew little about the human body and biology.

Nigeria must pay close attention to this development because, officially, there are over 400 thousand Jehovah’s Witnesses in Nigeria. And it is not known the number of children of Witness’s parents who have died or have suffered health damage as a result of this mistaken belief. It must be in the tens of thousands. Efforts must be made to restrain parents who are Jehovah’s Witnesses from harming their children and relatives using their misguided faith notions, propositions, and superstitions.

Igwe is the founder of HELP which works and campaigns to address faith-based human rights abuses in Nigeria.