The Sunday News
THE Ministry of Health and Child Care will not support the legalisation of abortion but will continue to conduct abortions only in special circumstances.
This was said by the director of family health in the ministry, Dr Bernard Madzima.
“The country does not agree to legal abortions except when the woman has been raped, in the case of incest or when the woman’s life is at risk if the pregnancy continues and also when there is evidence that the foetus is severely deformed and will not be able to live a normal life,” said Dr Madzima.
He said the Government and the Ministry of Health policy do not allow abortions to be conducted except in situations outlined above and going against these stipulated regulations is actually an offence.
The Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1977 permits abortion when the life of the woman is endangered, the child may suffer a permanent physical or mental defect, or the foetus was conceived as a result of rape or incest.
Termination may take place only at a designated hospital, with the written permission of the hospital superintendent; in cases of suspected birth defects, or life and death situations, the authority of two medical practitioners is also required. For rape, a certificate by a magistrate is needed, and is issued only after consideration of a police report and an interview with the victim.
The challenge that is being brought about by various lobby groups is that there is a delay in getting legal terminations of pregnancies for rape victims such that some victims end up carrying the pregnancy to full term.
Dr Madzima said the ministry is working on a strategy to improve this.
“The different areas of Government are working together to expedite the processes for rape victims to access services early. This involves Ministry of Health and Child Care, the judiciary, social services and the police,” he said.
The Zimbawe Women Lawyers Association is pushing for legal abortion in all circumstances and has urged the Government to pay maintenance for children of rape victims because responsible authorities failed to provide the mother with access to lawful abortion services.
The lawyers are saying women and girls who have unwanted pregnancies should also have the freedom to have safe abortions.
Board chairman for Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and senior reproductive health and medical advisor for Population Services Zimbabwe, Dr Rutendo Bonde said the issue of legalising abortions could not be answered easily as there are two schools of thought regarding that.
“There is the pro-life choice which states that every life is a gift and should be treated with respect. It further suggests that abortion should only be available in cases of rape or when a mother’s life is in danger. The pro-choice school of thought, on the other hand, suggests that abortion should be widely available to facilitate the right of choice that women should have,” she said.
Dr Bonde said from a public health point of view, abortions are available clandestinely and this she said presents a high risk as they are done in unsafe conditions.
She also highlighted that there is a sizable number of women that are dying after botched up abortions with traditional healers.
“Women are still dying after having abortions performed by traditional healers and other unorthodox means which shows the desperation that is there among our communities and something has to be done to save these lives,” she said.
“Parents end up marrying off their under-age children in a bid to ensure that there is no ridicule from the community yet in actual fact they have to prosecute those that impregnate under-age girls.”
Pressure groups argue that it is laborious for a victim of rape to go through legal processes such that time may lapse before one is actually assisted.
In some instances they said a victim may be forced to go get a pregnancy terminated illegally as it is faster.
Policymakers have been asked to amend the Termination of Pregnancy Act so that abortion can become every woman’s option.
Unicef estimates that 70 000 illegal abortions take place in Zimbabwe every year.
Activists say girls and women should be allowed the option to choose whether to keep or abort any pregnancy.
“The Ministry of Health actually introduced post-abortion care in their hospitals. If you look closely, it is about taking care of those youths aborting in the backyard. What we need to do now is to accept that bit is happening and give them safe options,” said an activist recently.
