Unsafe abortions on the rise in Karonga
As debate on the Termination of Pregnancy Bill continues, statistics show that Karonga District Hospital, North of Malawi, has since July 2015 treated 577 women with complications due to induced abortion thus increasing pressure on the already limited resources.
Out of the 577 clients, 16 are girls under the age of 15.
However, the statistics compiled by the district’s safe motherhood coordinator, Joseph Kasililika, indicate that all cases of abortion complications treated in the district between 2015 and 2016 stood at 1093, up from 960 between 2014 and 2015.
In the last quarter (July-September), during which the hospital treated 82 cases, one woman died due to delays in seeking medical help after an abortion.
Making a presentation last Friday when some members of Parliament (MPs) from the Northern Region visited the facility to appreciate the situation on abortion in relation to the Termination of Pregnancy Bill, Kasililika said most clients delay in seeking medical care after abortion.
He said:”Complications seen in the management of abortion cases in Karonga include excessive bleeding. Most clients delay in seeking medical care, thereby losing a lot of blood in the process.”
Kasililika added that provision of post-abortion care (PAC) has resulted into lack of space in facilities where the service is offered, inadequate equipment and supplies, inadequate providers as well as poor documentation of cases.
Nkhata Bay North West MP Commodius Nyirenda said after touring Mzimba and Karonga, he noted a rise in cases of unsafe abortion.
A 2008 Ministry of Health Magnitude Study shows that more than 100 000 women and girls undergo abortion every year and 33 000 of these develop serious complications that require treatment which costs the country around K300 million per year. n
