Dr. Lola Mabogunje, the Country Director of Ipas Nigeria, a reproductive health rights NGO, says unsafe abortion is the leading cause of maternal deaths.
Mabogunje said this at a one-day stakeholders meeting on Friday in Abuja.
She said it is important for all women to have access to the highest attainable standards of health and safe reproductive health choices, including safe abortion practices.
According to her, 11 out of every woman that die from pregnancy-related issue is from unsafe abortion, saying it is entirely preventable.
The country director said it was the organisation’s desire to see that all women had the opportunity to determine their futures, care for their families and manage their fertility.
She said: “No woman should risk her life, her fertility or well-being or the well-being of her family because she lacks reproductive health care.
“Death and injuries from unsafe abortion are especially heartbreaking since they are entirely preventable, and yet women still don’t have access and right to reproductive health services.”
Mabogunje said it was worthy to note that countries that have amended their laws on safe abortion practices have made significant improvement and had reduction in maternal deaths.
She called on government to amend such restrictive laws to help in reducing the number of women who die from unsafe abortion practices.
She said: “In our country, Nigeria, a raped victim has no right to safe abortion practice, according to the interpretation of the law.
“What does this translates to for the family and the girls?
“They may have to resort to services of quacks for unsafe abortion, which may destroy them for life, after all the trauma they have been through.”
She urged the Federal Government to domesticate all international conventions and policies, which seek to promote women’s reproductive health and rights.
Dr. Nnena Ihebuzor, the Director of Primary Healthcare Systems Development, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, commended Ipas on its collaboration in the agencies’ Midwives Service Scheme.
Ihebuzor said the partnership had gone a long way in reducing maternal deaths, especially in the training of its midwives on post-abortion care and practices.
Ihebuzor stressed the need for all stakeholders to improve women’s access to sexual and reproductive health needs.
The objective of Ipas is to reduce maternal deaths and injuries arising from unsafe abortion practice and increase access to reproductive health services.
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