High cost of abortion is killing women- NGO

Bolgatanga, July 19, GNA - Mr. Moses Liyobe Nanang, a Reproductive Health Programme Manager, has called on the Ghana Health Service (GHS), to reduce and standardise the cost of abortion services at medical facilities to prevent illegal abortions.

He made reference to the Upper East Region, where the high cost of abortion had compelled people to seek the services of quack doctors and the prescription of dangerous substances to pregnant ladies. Mr Nanang, who works with Pathfinder-Ghana, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), made the call in Bolgatanga on Thursday at a review workshop on the Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC) project of the organisation.

He said the average cost of abortion was 100 Ghana Cedis, thus compelling women, mostly under 25 years, to drink various concoctions and insert herbs and dangerous objects in to their private parts in an attempt to abort unwanted pregnancies. "This has led to many unnecessary deaths and disabilities," he said.

Mr. Nanang said the CAC project, was working in partnership with the GHS in the region to provide safe abortion care, post abortion care and offer services on reproductive Health to women. "I am happy to announce that the CAC project now covers 14 hospitals in 13 districts in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions, using an implementation model that combines provision of quality abortion services at the facilities, with community sensitisation."

The project had also trained more than 100 health personnel in CAC and had refurbished and provided equipment for procedure and counselling rooms in the beneficiary health facilities. Mr. John Lazame, Project Co-ordinator, noted that unsafe abortion contributed between 22 and 30 per cent to all maternal deaths in the country.

Dr. James Akpablie, Upper East Deputy Director of Health Services, commended the NGO for making a major contribution to reducing maternal mortality and improving the health of women in the region. 19 July 09