Unsafe abortions costing Malawi millions

Malawi can save over K300 million (about $1 million) if it promotes safe abortions.

Ipas, an international organisation which focuses on reproductive health rights, made the observation on Thursday at the end of a tour it conducted together with the Ministry of Health.

Ipas senior policy associate, who is also national coordinator for the Coalition for Prevention of Unsafe Abortion, Chrispin Sibande said government should take a leading role to end problems associated with unsafe abortions.

Sibande said cases of abortion are on the rise; hence, something needs to be done to control the situation.

“We are losing a lot of resources and many people are dying due to unsafe abortions and we need to find a solution as a country to save lives of mothers,” he said.  

Statistics show that most women deliberately induce abortions so that they get treatment from hospitals because the country regards abortions as illegal.  

According to Lilongwe district health officer Dr Mwawi Mwale, the district registers 800 cases of unsafe abortions every month.  

“This is a huge problem and government is losing a lot of resources to treat cases of unsafe abortions. The problem is that the age group that is suffering most from this problem is that of school-going individuals,” said Mwale.    

 Ministry of Health senior gynaecologist Grace Chiudzu said most abortions are induced.  

“This is a very big problem and many young girls are paying a heavy price. In October, a Form Four girl induced an abortion and she died.  Imagine, 45 percent of admissions in the gynaecology department at the Ethel Mutharika Maternity Wing are cases seeking post-abortion care,” said Chiudzu.

She suggested that the law that criminalises abortion be reviewed.