The Executive Director of an NGO, Ghana Hand on Natural Environmental Care (GHANECare), Richard Kuunaah has observed that, apart from the law and policy, the socio-cultural practices in Ghana also contribute significantly to unsafe abortions in the country.
He mentioned stigmatization against young people accessing sexual and reproductive health information and services as well as the non-involvement of adolescents in the discussion of their sexual and reproductive rights.
Mr. Kuunaah made the observation at a summit on advocacy on Access to Safe Abortion Services and Reproductive Health Service Rights and the Law in Jirapa in the Upper West Region.
He also identified the stigma attached to the various units and healthcare providers on safe abortion services as another contributory factor to unsafe abortion.
Mr. Kuunaah announced that the globally, 25 million women undergo unsafe abortions yearly adding that, a study by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2017, says 97% of unsafe abortions occur in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Unsafe abortion is a major cause of maternal deaths in Ghana. More than 10% of pregnancy related deaths in Ghana are traceable to unsafe abortions.
Mr. Kuunaah talked about what motivated GHANECare and Amplify Change of UK to embark on the advocacy program.
Ghana is one of the few African countries where abortion is legal under fairly broad grounds, and abortion performed by a qualified professional under proper conditions is an extremely safe procedure.
The question remains why one out of ten maternal deaths is caused by unsafe abortion? “These are some the questions that triggered the heart of GHANECare and Amplify Change in UK to initiate this program, the Executive Director stated.
The Jirapa Municipal Director of Health Services, Mrs. Florence Angsomwine said her Municipality recorded seven (7) maternal deaths between 2016 and 2018. Two of the deaths occurred in 2016, five in 2017 and zero for 2018. Sharing statistics on abortions for Jirapa, Mrs. Angsomwine said: “For the elective, in 2016, we did not have any elective abortion, but the spontaneous we 129, unsafe abortions 34, the MVAs were 104.
In 2017, elective stood at zero, spontaneous 132, unsafe abortions 41, then MVA 118. In 2018, we had one elective abortion, spontaneous 145, unsafe abortions 28, and for the manual vacuum aspiration (MVA), we had 124.
The District Director of Health Services emphasized the need to protect adolescents. “GHANECare, we dont want to sit down and see our women who are precious, our adolescents dying out of unsafe abortions. I am a Catholic, I always say that I wear two dresses and two shoes; I know my church will not like me to talk about it. But my work wants me to talk about it. And so, I always say this, prevent and protect peoples lives and then go and confess to my priest,” she affirmed.
Mrs. Angsomwine stressed the necessity for us to develop alliances across sectors to promote reproductive health services for all those who need them.
The MCE for Jirapa, Mrs. Christine Bonbanye Amadu who presided at the summit, advised young people to be very cautious and avoid sex. She told them: No sex, no pregnancy, no abortion.
Story by Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo
