Three health practitioners with the Bole District Hospital, Mr Donhuno Denis, Mrs Bura Faustina and Mr Hamza Ankaara Issah, had said that abortion is a criminal offence and still remains as such under Act 29, section 58 of the criminal code of 1960.
They said it was only legal under section one of the law if an abortion or miscarriage is caused where pregnancy was a result of rape, defilement and incest, and the abortion was requested by the victim or her family.
Speaking on Yagbon radio weekly program dubbed “Jaanuor buur” on May, 28, 2022, on the topic” unsafe abortions among our girls in our various communities” indicated that abortion was also legal where there was substantial risk that if the child was born, it might form a serious physical abnormality or disease.
They disclosed that women had induced abortion because of medical problems, fetal malformation, contraceptive failures, family planning services not accessible or affordable and did not love their partners.
“Non – medical methods of abortion include herbal concoction, inserting of substance into the vagina, excessive physical activities, drinking of unprescribed drugs, heavy massage and mixing alcohol with chemicals among others,” they noted.
According to them unsafe abortion had long-term complications namely chronic pelvic pain, infertility, psychological trauma, and short-term problems such as infection, incomplete abortion, hemorrhage, social disapproval and injury to internal organs.
They urged stakeholders and guardians to contribute their quota to the development and growth of their children by providing the needs of the children so that they would not engage in pre- marital sex which will lead to pregnancies and unsafe abortions.
Source: yagbonradioonline
