Lagos State Guidelines On Safe, Lawful Abortion Suspended

On Thursday, Prof. Akin Abayomi, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, had disclosed in a statement that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has directed the suspension of the state’s guidelines on safe termination of pregnancy (abortion).

Prof. Abayomi stated that the guidelines had generated an immense amount of public interest which had necessitated escalating it to the Governor. He stated that the governor had advised for a further sensitisation of the public and key stakeholders to ensure a clearer understanding of the objectives of the guidelines.

“To this end, we are suspending the implementation of these guidelines in the meantime for the Executive Council to deliberate on this matter and ensure adequate public sensitisation and stakeholder engagement to reach a consensus required for a successful guideline development.”

According to him, the ministry is seeking different methods to eliminate illegal abortions and to also ensure that a mother does not die at childbirth, thereby disrupting an entire family unit. The commissioner stated that illegal abortions and high risk pregnancies which lead to unresolvable complications rank high among the several factors that contribute to maternal mortality.

“In this regard, it became imperative to examine, in keeping with existing National and State laws and policies, if there are indeed justifications and medical reasons to offer abortion to a woman whose life is threatened by a pregnancy.”

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He said that following this, the guideline was developed over four years through the painstaking work that was performed by experts in Law and in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Prof. Abayomi pointed out that the focus of the guidelines was on creating the opportunity to reduce maternal mortality that is in line with existing laws. He said that the ministry remains committed to planning, devising and implementing policies that promote qualitative, affordable, and equitable healthcare services to the citizens.

On the 28th of June, a 40-page document titled: “Lagos State Guidelines on Safe Termination of Pregnancy for Legal Indications,” was issued by the ministry’s Directorate of Family Health and Nutrition. The document sets out guidelines for a safe termination of pregnancy within the ambit of the criminal law of Lagos State.

During the launch of the document, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, stated that the document would provide evidence-based data and information for health workers in public and private sectors with requisite skills to provide safe termination of pregnancy to reduce preventable deaths.

Dr. Ogboye also said that while a therapeutic termination of pregnancy was permissible under the state’s law, the absence of clear guidelines had stalled the effective implementation at appropriate levels of care which results in preventable deaths.