Nkhotakota DHO registers a high number of adolescent girls seeking post abortion care
By: Humphreys Bomba
Nkhotakota District Health Office (DHO) has disclosed it is recording an increased number of girls seeking post abortal care in the district.
Nkhotakota District Youth Friendly Health Services Coordinator (YFHS), Jossein Chizala revealed that during the last quarter of 2022, the referral facility has recorded not less than 111 cases of girls seeking post abortion care.
The revelation was made recently during a panel discussion organized by Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM), aimed at soliciting ideas from various stakeholders on safe abortion.
“We have received a high number of cases of girls ranging from ages 10 to 24 seeking medical and guidance assistance after attempting to abort on their own during the last quarter of 2022. The sad thing is that the number exceeds 100, which is huge.” Chizala said.
Meanwhile, Chizala has suggested the need for the government to sanction the law on Safe Abortion, arguing that the country is losing a lot of resources on people carrying unsafe abortion.
“The law makers should consider amending the abortion bill because the number of resources the country is losing would be used in other developmental activities.” Added Chizala.
Concurring with Chizala, Nkhotakota District Youth Officer (DFO), Abason Mwale said although the laws are clear on abortion, there is a need for the laws to give full freedom to women and girls to access abortion services.
“I feel the laws to seek out reproductive health services are somehow unfriendly and deny full young women freedom, the country needs the laws that will provide full freedom to safe abortion. The laws should give chances to people to fulfil their life opportunities.” Mwale explained.
In 2021, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health Dr Matthews Ngwale who was tasked to table the Abortion Amendment Bill in Parliament said he failed to do so following resistance from legislators and some Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) who many of them argued on religious grounds.
