Zambia Bans Marie Stopes for Illegal Abortions

By Wendy Wright | July 26, 2012

Zambia is banning British abortion giant Marie Stopes for committing over 500 illegal abortions.

The Zambian Watchdog reports:

In a letter to the Provincial Medical Officer dated 20th July 2012 and copied to Health Permanent Secretary, Dr. Peter Mwaba, Mr. Mwamba stated that the activities of the organization are detrimental to the province as they are carrying out abortion activities outside the law.

He said the organization was performing abortions based on social reasons, social conditions or performed abortions on the mere basis that the pregnancy was unwanted.

He said the law is very categorical on the circumstances under which abortions can be performed.

He also directed the Provincial Police Commissioner, Ms Mary Chikwanda to follow up the matter and ensure that the officials involved are brought to book.

The Law provides that abortions can only be carried out in Zambia if three (3) separate doctors certify that the life of the mother is in danger.

He urged the Ministry of Health to scrutinize foreign non-governmental organizations that are operating in the country to ensure that their activities are not inimical to the country.

The Permanent Secretary has also ordered that the Regional Manager for Marie Stopes International reports to his office and that the organization must comply with his directive that their operations are suspended and their illegal activities are stopped.

The Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) endorsed the suspension, noting “if this high number of such cases can be found in areas away from the line of rail, it was an imaginable how rife the practice could be in places like Lusaka, Copperbelt and Southern Provinces with high population.”

EFZ Executive Director, Pukuta Mwanza said abortions were not only bad because life is terminated but also because it was putting the women at risk.

He has since advised all Zambians to condemn the killing of innocent babies through abortion.

He argued that Zambia cannot afford to lose such numbers of babies through such acts in over a short period of time.

Xinhua reports that Minister of Health Joseph Kasonde, “however said the organization will continue operating in the country and provide other medical services other than abortion services.”

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