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RISING ABORTION CASES WORRIES AUTHORITIES

BY FAITH KAMTAMBE KADZANJA

Lilongwe-based Bwaila District Hospital treats up to 270 women and girls for unsafe abortion complications per month.

This came to the surface when Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM) organized a tour at the facilities maternity wing for members of parliament from European countries and European Parliamentary Forum on sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF) and Malawian members of parliament.

District Nursing and Midwifery Officer Bertha Kaudza said part of the solution would be to encourage women and girls to embrace family planning methods.

She said the health facility delivers up to 80 babies every day and admits up to 500 patients, yet the capacity of the facility is 255.

Kaudza briefing the delegation

“We do have maybe 268 admissions for abortion per month. We as a facility, really need to work hard on that especially when it comes to offering reproductive and health services in the district,”.

“15 to 20 years ago this health facility was enough but due to rapid population growth, we are seeing all these challenges, so we need to work on controlling population growth,” she said.

One of the visitors an Irish People Before Profit – Solidarity politician Brid Smith said it is critical for the country to analyze issues of abortion in the context that may benefit many young women and girls who usually face problems due to unavailability of the service delivery.