Abortion outrage in Wellington
2011-03-10
Lise Beyers
RESIDENTS of Wellington have been outraged by blatant backstreet abortion posters which have been posted all over town. The poster, advertising quick, pain free and same day abortions, have raised eyebrows as to how legitimate the service is which is being offered. Various attempts to speak to one of the names mentioned on the poster was fruitless. Paarl Post was told by a man that he did not have time to talk. Especially unwanted pregnancies amongst teenagers has spiralled out of control, and for many, a quick-fix is just the answer. Then out of desperation, sufferers of unwanted pregnancies go to extremes to terminate their pregnancy. The posters which have been pasted on lamp-posts across Wellington, could entice women to have dangerous abortions performed, for a fee “from R300”. According to the Department of Health, hundreds of women die countrywide each year because of complications suffered due to backstreet abortions. This is a highly sensitive issue, but there are legitimate establishments which can assist desperate women. At state hospitals such as Paarl Hospital, termination of pregnancy services (TOPS) is offered as a free, confidential service. All patients are required to undergo counselling so that they understand the process. Staff who manage the TOPS service are trained to deal with this issue. Women who find themselves in a situation, that for a variety of reasons may require TOPS, need to visit their closest clinic as early as possible in their pregnancy and request a TOPS. Marie Stopes South Africa is a government approved health facility whose goal is to prevent unwanted births, and to afford women the right to have children by choice, not by chance. Laila Abbas, advocacy manager for Marie Stopes, this week spoke out against widely advertised abortion facilities which do not adhere to government health regulations. “If an advertisement only offers a telephone number, the warning lights must go on. Women who want to enquire about abortions should be able to walk into an office an receive the correct guidance. “There is much protocol which abortion clinics must adhere to. The procedure must amongst others take place in a clean and safe environment by trained staff. “Abortions may only be done within 12 weeks after conception and the patient must also undergo a complete medical examination to establish whether she can undergo the procedure. “It is important that anyone enquiring about abortion services of any kind should ensure that the facility is legally designated and adheres to health regulations.” Marie Stopes South Africa can be contacted toll free at 080-011-7785.
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