The Ogun State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the Safe Termination of Pregnancy (SToP) guidelines to ensure access to medically supervised and legally permissible abortion services across the state.
The Executive Secretary of the Ogun State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Elijah Ogunsola, on Friday, in a statement said that the renewed assurance had become imperative to strengthen the state’s efforts to reduce maternal mortality by ensuring access to medically supervised and rights-based reproductive healthcare services.
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The Executive Secretary reiterated this commitment at a seminar organised by the state Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Centre for Bridging Health Gaps in Abeokuta.
He noted that the move aligns with ongoing strategies to address the health and safety risks associated with unsafe abortion, particularly among women in low- and middle-income communities.
Speaking on the theme of the seminar, “Breaking Barriers to Safe Termination of Pregnancy to Save Lives,” Dr Ogunsola emphasised that “There is an urgent need to address unsafe abortion as a public health crisis.
“Unsafe abortion remains one of the top five direct causes of maternal mortality in Nigeria, with an alarming 97 per cent of such cases occurring among women from low- and middle-income backgrounds.
“These preventable deaths are often the result of limited access to accurate information, safe services, and the stigma surrounding reproductive health.”
“The Ogun State Government is, however, committed to working collaboratively with key stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, civil society organisations, and legal experts, towards strengthening the implementation of the Safe Termination of Pregnancy (SToP) guidelines.
“The right to access safe abortion care within legal boundaries is supported by provisions in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This constitutional backing reinforces the state’s responsibility to protect the health and rights of women and girls through lawful and medically safe reproductive health services.”he added
The Executive Director of the Centre for Bridging Health Gaps, Dr Moriam Jagun, in her welcome address described unsafe abortion as one of the most preventable causes of death, yet one that continues to endanger the lives and futures of vulnerable women and girls.
Jagun noted that, across Nigeria and West Africa, discussions around abortion are often hindered by stigma and silence. She reaffirmed the need for a collective commitment to safeguarding women’s health, rights, and dignity through access to safe, legal, and quality abortion services.
She called on governments, policymakers, healthcare professionals, legal experts, faith leaders, and civil society to work collaboratively to improve access to evidence-based, life-saving care, as there are various existing opportunities for women to make choices that are rights-based and within the legal framework.
Speaking during the panel session on Strengthening Abortion Services as Life-Saving Care, the Director of the Citizens’ Rights Department, Mrs Oluwakemi Lawal, stated that cases where abortion can be legally performed include pregnancies that pose a danger to the mother’s life or physical health, such as in instances of rape, cancer, or incest, among others.
She noted that qualified health professionals should perform termination in a safe and hygienic environment.
A representative of the Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Nigeria, Dr Olusoji Jagun, said a safe abortion upholds women’s rights to make informed decisions about their reproductive health without fear of legal repercussions or social stigma.
Jagun called for increased public awareness of the Safe Termination of Pregnancy guidelines and the importance of safe abortion services.
In Nigeria, abortion is legal only when performed to save a woman’s life. Yet, abortions are common, and most are unsafe because they are done clandestinely, by unskilled providers, or both.
It is reported that unsafe abortion is a major contributor to the country’s high levels of maternal death, ill health, and disability.
Nigeria continues to record one of the highest maternal mortality ratios globally, with unsafe abortion remaining a major contributor to preventable maternal deaths.
