OGUN STATE TAKES BOLD STEP: PRIORITIZING SAFE ABORTION TO SAVE WOMEN'S LIVES

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The Executive Secretary of the Ogun State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Elijah Ogunsola, has indicated that the state administration will spare no effort in executing the Safe Termination of Pregnancy guidelines to improve safe and lawful abortion services, in accordance with Nigerian legislation.

In a declaration made on Friday, Ogunsola asserted that the renewed pledge had become essential to bolster the state’s initiatives aimed at decreasing maternal mortality by ensuring access to medically supervised and rights-based reproductive healthcare services.

The Executive Secretary reaffirmed this dedication at a seminar organized by the state Ministry of Health in partnership with the Centre for Bridging Health Gaps in Abeokuta.

He pointed out that this initiative corresponds with ongoing strategies to mitigate the health and safety hazards linked to unsafe abortions, particularly among women in low- and middle-income communities.

Addressing the theme of the seminar, “Breaking Barriers to Safe Termination of Pregnancy to Save Lives,” Dr. Ogunsola highlighted the imperative to confront unsafe abortion as a public health emergency.

“Unsafe abortion continues to rank among the top five direct contributors to maternal mortality in Nigeria, with a concerning 97 percent of such instances involving women from low- and middle-income backgrounds.

“These avoidable fatalities often emanate from restricted access to reliable information, safe services, and the stigma associated with reproductive health. ”

Ogunsola further stated, “The Ogun State Government is resolutely dedicated to collaborating with key stakeholders, including healthcare practitioners, civil society organizations, and legal professionals, to enhance the execution of the Safe Termination of Pregnancy (SToP) guidelines.

“The right to obtain safe abortion care within legal parameters is upheld by provisions in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This constitutional support reinforces the state’s obligation to safeguard the health and rights of women and girls through lawful and medically sound reproductive health services. ”

In her opening remarks, the Executive Director of the Centre for Bridging Health Gaps, Dr. Moriam Jagun, characterized unsafe abortion as one of the most preventable causes of mortality, yet one that continues to threaten the lives and futures of vulnerable women and girls.

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Jagun observed that discussions concerning abortion across Nigeria and West Africa are frequently obstructed by stigma and silence. She reiterated the necessity for a collective commitment to protecting women’s health, rights, and dignity through access to safe, lawful, and quality abortion services.

She urged governments, policymakers, healthcare professionals, legal authorities, faith leaders, and civil society to collaborate in enhancing access to evidence-based, life-saving care, as there exist various opportunities for women to make choices that are rights-oriented and within the legal framework.

During the panel discussion on Strengthening Abortion Services as Life-Saving Care, the Director of the Citizens’ Rights Department, Mrs. Oluwakemi Lawal, asserted that scenarios in which abortion can be legally conducted include pregnancies that threaten the mother’s life or physical health, such as cases of rape, cancer, or incest, among others.
She emphasized that qualified healthcare professionals ought to conduct terminations in a secure and sanitary setting.

A spokesperson for the Society of Gynecologists and Obstetricians of Nigeria, Dr. Olusoji Jagun, stated that a secure abortion supports women’s rights to make informed choices regarding their reproductive health without apprehension of legal consequences or societal stigma.

Jagun advocated for heightened public awareness regarding the Safe Termination of Pregnancy guidelines and the significance of safe abortion services.

In Nigeria, abortion is permissible solely when it is carried out to preserve a woman’s life. Nonetheless, abortions are prevalent, and the majority are unsafe due to being undertaken clandestinely, by untrained practitioners, or both.

It has been reported that unsafe abortions significantly contribute to the country’s elevated rates of maternal mortality, poor health, and disability.

Nigeria possesses one of the highest maternal mortality ratios globally, with minimal progress observed in recent years.