Pretoria – “Yes to family planning and no to illegal, unsafe abortions” -- this was the theme used during a march against illegal abortions in the North West province.
The mushrooming of backstreet abortion “clinics”, operated by bogus doctors, prompted the North West MEC for Health, Dr Magome Masike, to lead a march against illegal abortions and to promote family planning.
Officials from different departments including Justice, Social Development, SAPS, Education and Health officials, and concerned citizens took part in the march on Monday, which started at the main taxi rank in Rustenburg.
The peaceful march was an initiative of all stakeholders against advertising and the provision of illegal abortion services around town and neighbouring suburbs. It also aimed to inform communities about safe pregnancy resolutions and other related services.
Masike raised his department’s concerns about the significant increase of maternal deaths associated with septic abortion experienced in the province. The National Committee on Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths (NCCEMD) Report showed an increased in the number of abortions in the province, from 3.4 percent between 2005 and 2007 to 31% between 2008 and 2010.
“There is a continuous mushrooming of illegal abortionists across the province, with adverts everywhere around our towns, and now invading our residential areas. These things are exposed to our children, teenagers, youth and other significant ones, who are falling victims of these unlawful acts.
“Let us take a moment and look around here. This town is colour blocked with posters and messages that are detrimental to our welfare, the welfare of our families, children, our communities and the nation. This is disturbing!” Masike told marchers.
He said the main problem facing the department was that women using backstreet abortionists often flocked back to legitimate health care facilities with serious complications.
Cost of illegal abortions
“Between January 2012 and December 2012, 88 septic abortion cases were admitted at JST Hospital. Since January 2013 up to end of April 2013, 45 cases were treated at JST. These complications have a financial bearing on the department at a cost of around R765 per day per individual client.
“It is more costly to manage complications than to undertake a safe termination of pregnancy in the absence of risks. This illegal practice has left many children as orphans… and (has created) child headed families.”
The Choice on Termination of Pregnancy (CTOP) Act as amended by Act no 01 of 2008 promotes women’s reproductive health rights and extends freedom of choice by affording every woman the right to choose whether to have early, safe and legal termination of pregnancy, according to her individual beliefs.
The Act also gives women of any age or marital status access to abortion services on request during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and in certain cases, extends the access to the first 21 weeks of pregnancy.
However, Masike insisted that prevention was better than cure and the department encouraged women, irrespective of age, who are sexually active to use dual protection like contraceptives and condoms for prevention of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies and STIs, including HIV.
“We are recommending the use of long acting contraceptive methods such Intrauterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD) for those who are not planning to fall pregnant soon and for those that no longer desire to have babies anymore, we recommend sterilisation.
“We are also providing emergency contraception within 120 hours of unprotected sex - that is within five days of unprotected sex. This is still far much better than termination of pregnancy.
“Since the implementation of the CTOP Act, we have designated 42 public health facilities and seven private health facilities that provide safe termination of pregnancy across the province.
In Bojanala District, the department has designated public health facilities including JST Provincial Hospital, Moses Kotane, Koster Hospital, Swartruggens Hospital, Bafokeng CHC, Mogwase CHC, Makapanstad CHC, Letlhabile CHC, Phella CHC as well as Mabeskraal CHC, to provide safe termination of pregnancy.
Masike further announced that the department would soon roll out medical abortion, using the pills only.
“The woman must come back [after taking the pills] to the clinic or hospital for check-up after two weeks. It should be done before the pregnancy is nine weeks.” – SAnews.gov.za
