Hundreds turn out for termination of pregnancy info session in Braamfischerville
The Department of Health representative, Patrick Phiri said it was vital for parents to talk about sex with their children. He said that there are local clinics which are allowed to perform the procedure.
The termination of unwanted pregnancies (TOP) and the stigma associated with it affects women who opted for the procedure in a number of negative ways. Many end up resorting to illegal backstreet abortionists and risk their lives to perform the procedure.
All this happens because most pregnant teenagers are not aware that there are safer abortion options available to them.
The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) recently hosted a Termination of Pregnancy (TOP) dialogue with relevant stakeholders at the main hall of the Braamfischerville cricket pitch to shed light on this pressing issue in order to help the community reach a common ground on the issue.
The Gauteng TAC district organiser, Tshepo Maboe said that the objective of the dialogue is to sensitise the community around safe referral centres for abortions.
“We want to increase awareness around sexual reproductive services which would help to reduce the number of backstreet abortions performed daily. We encourage the use of contraceptives when engaging in sexual intercourse and we advise them that termination of pregnancy should be a last resort,” said Maboe.
The Department of Health representative, Patrick Phiri said it was vital for parents to talk about sex with their children. He said that there are local clinics which are allowed to perform the procedure.
Phiri said, “However, local clinics can only perform an abortion when the applicant’s pregnancy is between 1 day to 12 weeks. It is because of this reason that we advise termination of pregnancy applicants to decide early to avoid backstreet abortions.”
He added that the law also allows them to perform abortions for applicants whose pregnancy is 12 weeks or above if the patient’s health would be complicated by the pregnancy, in case the child is deformed or the girl has been impregnated by her biological parent.
Traditional healers’ representative, Jeanette Masiapata said that they opposed abortion.
“We support that there should be enough education on prevention.
“Girls who terminated a pregnancy should go for ritual cleansing because the child was aborted.
“In an instance where a girl has aborted a pregnancy without being cleansed, she would be followed by misfortune until the ritual has been performed,” said Masiapata.
Health centres rendering termination of pregnancy services include Leratong Hospital, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Jabulani Hospital and the Zola and Chiawelo Community Health Centres.
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