In a concerted effort to curb maternal mortality linked to unsafe abortions, health experts and stakeholders in Nigeria’s Ogun State have issued a public warning against seeking termination services from unqualified practitioners, urging instead the use of professional medical facilities. The appeal was made during a one-day training session for civil society organizations (CSOs) held on Friday in Abeokuta, focusing on basic reproductive health and strategies to reduce unsafe abortions.
Dr. Deborah Osisanwo, President of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Ogun State branch, emphasized the critical importance of maternal lives, directly addressing individuals performing illegal abortions. “Please, if you don’t know how to do it, if you are a quack, once you see a case of abortion, kindly refer them to secondary facilities. We will be happy if you do that, and we are going to save the life of that mother,” she stated. Osisanwo highlighted the state government’s recent launch of an abridged, pocket-sized version of the STOP guidelines, designed to protect healthcare providers by clarifying legal frameworks around safe abortion practices. She assured communities that trained health practitioners are accessible and should not be feared.
Victoria Madukwe, Executive Director of the Trust and Support Foundation, underscored the prevalence of unsafe abortions in local communities, noting severe consequences including maternal deaths and suicides driven by stigma. She explained that the training aims to equip CSOs with knowledge to educate the public on seeking legitimate healthcare for reproductive issues, family planning, and related concerns. “The essence of the training is to let CSOs understand that there is a high level of unsafe abortion going on in the communities and within their environments, and to teach them what they can do to help reduce this practice,” Madukwe said. She also stressed the need to inform security agencies about the STOP guidelines to prevent harassment of doctors, affirming that practitioners operate within legal bounds and that the guidelines are expected to decrease unsafe procedures and maternal fatalities.
Supporting the outreach, Dapo Wahaab, State Chairman of the Ward Development Committee (WDC) for Ogun State, committed to disseminating the message across all 236 wards in the state’s 20 local government areas. He detailed plans to engage women champions who will further sensitize communities through local development associations. “We are taking this message to 236 wards across the 20 local governments in the state. This is an eye-opener to what we have known before. We have women champions in our wards, so when we go back home, we will sensitise them about what we have learnt. As mobilisers, they will also go to CDAs, CDCs, and others to pass the message to our people,” Wahaab remarked.
This multi-sector initiative combines community education with institutional safeguards to address unsafe abortions, a significant contributor to maternal deaths in Nigeria. By promoting awareness of the STOP guidelines and reinforcing the role of qualified healthcare providers, stakeholders aim to foster a environment where women seek safe, legal services, ultimately reducing preventable maternal mortality in Ogun State.
