Over 150 women groups from various rights and civil society organisations took to the streets last Tuesday in Lagos to protest the continued delay by the government in lifting the suspension on safe termination of pregnancy in the state.
This action is sequel to a prior petition to the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu demanding that he lifts the suspension of the regulation.
The protesters, majorly women and supporting males marched through Obafemi Awolowo way in their large numbers to Alausa, Ikeja singing solidarity songs and passing a message to Governor Sanwo-Olu to protect their lives.
Though they were unable to have an audience with the governor as well as the State Commissioner for Health, a Director from the Office of Civic Engagement, Mr. Haruna Ayodeji received an open later to deliver to the governor.
According to Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Executive Director, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, WARDC told journalists that it has been brought to their knowledge that unsafe termination of pregnancy accounts for second leading cause of maternal deaths in Nigeria. Dr. Akiyode-Afolabi contended that ‘Guidelines on Safe Termination of Pregnancy for Legal Indications’ placed on suspension is a timely intervention for reducing preventable deaths and protecting women’s reproductive rights.
She said that government was mis-advised to suspend the regulation.
She listed Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Cameroon, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Togo. Zimbabwe among African countries which legally permit safe termination to save the life of the “- woman and preserve physical health.
They are worried that continued delay in lifting the guidelines launched by its government on June 29, 2022 will encourage unsafe abortion in the state, a situation they say could do grave harm to women’s health.
She reiterated that a guide to ensure that safe termination of pregnancy services are available within the ambit of its legal indications and the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
The women are unsettled that unsafe termination of pregnancy accounts for second leading cause of maternal deaths in Nigeria.