The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling unsafe abortion to reduce maternal mortality and improve the health and well-being of women and girls across Nigeria.
Dr. Binyerem Ukaire, Director of Family Health at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, gave the assurance in Abuja during the International Safe Abortion Conference.
According to Ukaire, the ministry has trained skilled birth attendants and improved abortion-related data reporting through the National Health Management Information System (NHMIS), despite legal restrictions and societal stigma. “Nearly all deaths and complications from unsafe abortion could be avoided through contraceptive access, legal safe abortion services, and post-abortion care,” she said.
The conference, organized by Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation, was themed “Reproductive Justice: Crashing Maternal Mortality through Reduced Unsafe Abortions” to mark International Safe Abortion Day, globally observed on September 28. Dr. Talemoh Dah, an obstetrician and gynecologist, emphasized that abortion should be recognized as a critical, life-saving health intervention, not just a social or moral issue.
Dah highlighted that nearly half of Africa’s unsafe abortions occur under the least safe conditions, contributing to nearly 30% of maternal deaths across the continent. He noted that an estimated 2.4 million induced abortions occur in Nigeria every year, equivalent to about 26 for every 1,000 women of reproductive age. “Unsafe abortion causes roughly 10% of maternal deaths in Nigeria, where maternal mortality remains high at 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births,” he said.
Dr. Lucky Palmer, Country Director of Ipas Nigeria, described unsafe abortion as a major cause of preventable maternal deaths in Nigeria and other developing countries. “In many communities, abortion is still treated with secrecy, stigma, and shame,” Palmer said, urging a shift in public attitudes and policy frameworks.
The Federal Government’s pledge to address unsafe abortion is a step towards reducing maternal mortality and improving the health and well-being of women and girls in Nigeria. As Dr. Koketso Pule, a gynecologist, noted, “If safe and regulated access to abortion services is available, women’s lives can be saved. The barriers surrounding termination of unwanted pregnancies whether legal, social, or economic are the root cause of these preventable deaths”.
