ZUL-QA’ADAH 3 1430 A.H.
THURSDAY OCTOBER . 22 2009.
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60,000 induced abortions occur in Nigeria annually - IPAS
Dr Ejike Oji, Country Director of IPAS, an NGO, said in Abuja on Monday that 760,000 induced abortions occurred in Nigeria annually.
Oji said this at the opening of a one-day training workshop organised by IPAS for the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) on maternal mortality and improving women’s reproductive rights.
He said 60 per cent of the abortions were unsafe and that they accounted for most maternal deaths in the country.
``An estimated 15,000 women die in Nigeria yearly from unsafe abortions because abortion is illegal in Nigeria and women who sort it do so it under unsafe procedures.
``The law regarding abortion should be reformed because the reproductive rights of women need to be protected.
``The right to safe abortion is every woman’s right; she should be the one to determine if the pregnancy stays or not,’’ Oji said.
Oji explained that currently abortion was only allowed in Nigeria in cases of rape, incest and if the woman’s life was under threat.
``We are saying that abortion should be legalised so that those who want to do it can do so under safe conditions. But because the process is not legalised they resort to quack and that is why they die.
``A lot of women are dying from unsafe abortions as well as other causes of maternal deaths such as haemorrhage, obstructed labour, entopic pregnancy, lack of family planning, infection and low contraceptive usages are being addressed.
``It is sad to note the extent some women go to terminate pregnancies through the use of cassava plant leaf and stem, bahaman grass, alligator pepper, native chalk and alum,’’ he added.
Also speaking, Mr Roland Ewubare, the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, said maternal mortality was high due to lack of adequate medicare, obnoxious customs and illiteracy.
Ewubare, who was represented by Mr Lambert Oparah, the Deputy Director, Public Affairs in the commission, said the right to health was one of the thematic areas of focus of the commission.
``The right to reproductive health is very crucial as women suffer severe consequences in their bid to regenerate the society.
``The commission views the rights of women as crucial and any circumstances that abridge these rights or attempt to abridge them are unacceptable.
``Government on its part should be able to fulfill its pledge to provide citizens reasonable access to qualitative health care as guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution,’’ he said.
Responding, Mrs Uche Chuta, FCT Chairman of NAWOJ, expressed the hope that the workshop would enable women journalists to report better on issues concerning women’s reproductive rights.
