3.2 MILLION UNSAFE ABORTIONS IN YOUNG WOMEN 15–19 YEARS OLD, ALMOST 50% ARE IN AFRICA

The Ipas Ghana Youth Advisory Board (YAB) has lamented that, adolescent girls between that ages of 10-19 make up 70 percent of all hospitalizations resulting from unsafe abortion complications.

It said unsafe abortion cases in Africa is soaring as compared with other contents. “In Africa, the risk of death from unsafe abortion is higher than in any other region. Among the 3.2 million unsafe abortions in young women 15–19 years old, almost 50% are in Africa.” It noted.

In a statement signed by the Board Chairman, Richard Mawutor Dzikunu and copied to the General Telegraph, the Board observed  that inadequate knowledge of abortion laws, services and technology is major cause of unsafe abortion, adding that “because of the barriers to safe abortion, young women often find no alternative but unsafe abortion—even if abortion is legal.”

The statement indicated that unsafe abortion contributes to maternal mortality in the country and that “if we are serious about considering strategies for saving the lives of women and girls who die through pregnancy related causes in this country, we cannot leave out a factor such as unsafe abortion which accounts for 11% of deaths of women”

It also noted with regret that the high cost of accessing abortion services at the health centre is one of the barriers to save abortion. “…varying amounts of money are being charged for abortion services around the country. High amounts of money are being charged at various health facilities and by health officers (Midwives) including those trained by Ipas.”

The statement decried that “information gathered by the YAB from peer educators strongly suggests a high level of exploitation which eventually leads young women to non-certified and fake doctors or other means to eliminate a pregnancy.”

It therefore called on all stakeholders in the health sector including the Ghana Health Service “to employ the appropriate sanctions on midwives who are exploiting young women before providing a service which they have a right to.”

The board also implored stakeholders and  the Ghana Health Service to work around the clock to ensure that midwives operate within the approved charges for abortion services. It said “If we don’t call attention to reducing costs, we will likely eliminate social and religious barriers through advocacy but the issue of cost will remain.”

The Ipas Ghana Youth Advisory Board (YAB) was formed to integrate youth voices into Ipas programs meaningfully into decision-making processes at all levels within Ipas to ensure that young women have access to reproductive health services and information.

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