The Executive Secretary of the Ogun State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Elijah Ogunsola, has stated that the state government will leave no stone unturned in implementing the Safe Termination of Pregnancy guidelines to enhance safe and legal abortion services, as permitted by Nigerian law.
Dr Ogunsola, in a statement on Friday, said that the renewed assurance had become imperative to strengthen the state’s efforts to reduce maternal mortality by ensuring access to medically supervised and rights-based reproductive healthcare services.
He reiterated this commitment at a seminar organised by the state Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Centre for Bridging Health Gaps in Abeokuta. He also noted that the move aligns with ongoing strategies to address the health and safety risks associated with unsafe abortion, particularly among women in low- and middle-income communities.
Ogunsola added that the Ogun State Government is, however, committed to working collaboratively with key stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, civil society organisations, and legal experts, towards strengthening the implementation of the Safe Termination of Pregnancy guidelines.
The right to access safe abortion care within legal boundaries is supported by provisions in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This constitutional backing reinforces the state’s responsibility to protect the health and rights of women and girls through lawful and medically safe reproductive health services.”
Punch/TimothyKayode.
Ogun to Prioritise Safe, Legal Abortion to Curb Maternal Deaths
