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THE illegal abortion services through online platforms should be put to a stop immediately and individuals behind the practice arrested and prosecuted. 

This paper reported on Tuesday that while abortion is illegal in the country, the dodgy individuals demand up to US$100 for pills to induce termination of pregnancies with promises of further treatment to clean the womb.

The reports come as the country has made strides in reducing maternal mortality rates. 

According to a recent Unicef report, Zimbabwe has more than halved maternal mortality rates in a decade, from 960 per 100 000 live births in 2010 to 462 in 2019.

If the illegal activities of these merchants of abortion are allowed to continue, they will not only harm their victims but also threaten to reverse the gains the country has made in reducing maternal mortality.  

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that around 73 million induced abortions take place worldwide each year. 

“Global estimates from 2010–2014 demonstrate that 45 percent of all induced abortions are unsafe. Of all unsafe abortions, one third were performed under the least safe conditions, i.e., by untrained   persons using dangerous and invasive methods.

“Developing countries bear the burden of 97 percent of all unsafe abortions. More than half of all unsafe abortions occur in Asia, most of them in south and central Asia. In Latin American and Africa, the majority (approximately 3 out of 4) of all abortions are unsafe. In Africa, nearly half of all abortions occur under the least safe circumstances,” says WHO. 

“Each year, 4.7–13.2 percent of maternal deaths can be attributed to unsafe abortion. In developed regions, it is estimated that 30 women die for every 100 000 unsafe abortions. In developing regions, that number rises to 220 deaths per 100 000 unsafe abortions.  

“Estimates from 2012 indicate that in developing countries alone, 7 million women per year were treated in hospital facilities for complications of unsafe abortion.”

Mpilo Central Hospital acting chief executive officer Professor Solwayo Ngwenya, who is also a gynaecologist, also weighed in on the matter saying:

“Abortion causes a lot of challenges or health issues. Women can actually die from massive bleeding or infection. 

“It is one of the major causes of maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. Some of the women lose their uteri causing permanent infertility,” said Prof Ngwenya.

He said of concern is that these criminals who are offering abortion services online cannot be made accountable.

“Tablets that are obtained online may be dangerous because the service is unregulated. The medication can be infused with impurities which may cause major problems in the body. So, we discourage members of the public against buying these unregulated medicines,” he said.

Prof Ngwenya said sexually active citizens who are not ready to have children should condomise among other pregnancy prevention methods.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi warned that the long arm of the law will soon catch up  with the offenders as he urged members of the public with information that could  result in the arrest of the culprits to come forward.

The police alone cannot rid these criminals from society but need cooperation from members of the public through the provision of information so that they are identified and arrested. 

It is everyone’s duty to make sure that  such an illegal practice is not allowed to thrive.