LIFE advocates for accountability on preventable maternal deaths in Lagos State
3 min read
LIFE advocates for accountability on preventable maternal deaths in Lagos State
…set to amplify female voices
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By Naomi Onome
Leadership Initiative for Youth Empowerment (LIFE) highlights a critical issue in Nigeria, particularly in Lagos State, where unsafe abortions significantly contribute to maternal mortality. The stigma surrounding abortion, fuelled by cultural and religious beliefs, exacerbates the problem by silencing discussions and limiting access to safe care.
The Amplify Project’s initiative to reinstate the STOP guideline and standardise medical practitioners’ capacity to provide safe abortion services is crucial. By amplifying vulnerable women’s voices and advocating for policy change, the project aims to save lives and uphold reproductive rights.
Some potential challenges the project might face, as stated, include resistance from conservative groups due to cultural and religious beliefs and limited access to healthcare services in rural areas. Need for comprehensive education and awareness campaigns.
The project’s success could lead to improved maternal health outcomes, reduced mortality rates, and enhanced reproductive rights for women in Lagos State.
The article released by LIFE reads,
Unsafe abortion is responsible for up to 40% of maternal health complications in Nigeria, making it the second leading cause of maternal mortality. In 2017 alone, Nigeria accounted for 212,000 of the over 2 million maternal deaths recorded globally.
Stigma, driven by deep-rooted religious and cultural beliefs, continues to silence conversations around safe abortion and maternal health. Yet, despite this silence, the prevalence of unsafe abortion remains high. Avoiding open discussion only worsens the situation, as many preventable deaths have occurred simply because women and girls whose continuation of pregnancy poses serious risks are either unaware of their options or unable to access timely care.
Examples include young girls with obstructed labour due to underdeveloped bodies, women with underlying medical conditions such as severe hypertension or cardiac disease, and survivors of sexual violence who become pregnant and are left without support or safe alternatives. These are real scenarios where delayed intervention or lack of access to life-saving services has led to needless loss of life.
The Amplify Project under the PAMOJA platform seeks to enhance the voice and agency of vulnerable women and girls in Lagos State to demand accountability in addressing preventable maternal deaths. The project specifically advocates for the reinstatement of the STOP (Safe Termination of Pregnancy) guideline, which has been suspended, leaving many women at risk.
The project aims to influence policy and practice by supporting the lifting of the suspension on the STOP guideline and to standardise and strengthen the capacity of medical practitioners to save the lives of women and girls whose pregnancy continuation is a danger to their health and well-being.
This effort is grounded in the understanding that access to safe abortion in line with legal exceptions is critical to saving lives and upholding reproductive rights. When a pregnancy endangers a woman’s life, saving her shouldn’t be a debate.”
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