No fewer than 13 percent of the causes of Maternal Mortality in Nigeria has been attributed to Unsafe Abortions.
The Country Director, Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation, Lucky Palmer noted this in a statement on Wednesday to mark the International Safe Abortion Day.
Palmer said the day is set aside to identify with millions of women worldwide who are experiencing torture through forced pregnancies or unsafe abortion because of denied access to safe Abortion.
The event is celebrated worldwide by a wide range of women’s health and rights groups, health professionals, policymakers and parliamentarians committed to women’s health and wellbeing, working not only at the grassroots and national level in their countries but also at the regional and international levels.
Palmer said the theme for this year’s celebration, “Abortion in uncertain Times”, is a welcome development given the current humanitarian crisis in Nigeria and other parts of the world, resulting in the deterioration of health and social infrastructure.
According to him “Unsafe Abortion is said to be one of the causes of maternal deaths worldwide. In Nigeria, Unsafe Abortions contribute 13% to the causes of Maternal Mortality”.
Excerpts “Nevertheless, Nigeria has a restrictive law that is often not understood by major stakeholders, as seen in the Lagos State Standards & Guidelines for Safe
Terminating Pregnancies for Legal Indications, leading to the high maternal
mortality we currently face in the country.
“Some countries, such as Ghana and Benin, have interpreted their existing laws to
recognise the importance of safe abortion services for women’s health and
wellbeing. For example, the Ministry of Health in Ghana made significant efforts
to expand post-abortion care and the grounds for safe abortion services, including
rape, incest, fetal abnormality, or disease, or to protect physical and mental health.
“Nigeria is a signatory to most international and regional frameworks such as
CEDAW and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on
the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol). These conventions and protocols
guarantee the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights of women and girls, but we
have yet to domesticate and operationalise them.
“Ipas Nigeria, join Sexual Reproductive Health & Rights activists in Nigeria in calling
on the government to recognise women’s sexual reproductive health as essential
health care. They must commit to its achievement through legislation and
implementing policies that facilitate access to sexual and reproductive health
services and information.
“Such recognition must include safe Abortion and post abortion care services and repealing of harmful policies. Also, address structural barriers embedded in social norms, laws, and policies that prevent individuals from realising their sexual and reproductive health and rights and exacerbate the multiple crises we are currently experiencing.
“Abortion is Health Care and a Human rights issue, not a religious or moral subject.
Nigeria’s government must recognise this and honours its international commitment to respect Human rights”.
