Ogun Govt Reaffirms Commitment to Safe Abortion Guidelines to Curb Maternal Deaths

The Executive Secretary of the Ogun State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Elijah Ogunsola, has reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to fully implementing the Safe Termination of Pregnancy (SToP) guidelines to promote safe and legal abortion services, as permitted under Nigerian law.

Ogunsola, in a statement issued on Friday, said the renewed focus aims to strengthen efforts to reduce maternal mortality by ensuring women have access to medically supervised, rights-based reproductive healthcare services.

Speaking at a seminar jointly organised by the Ogun State Ministry of Health and the Centre for Bridging Health Gaps in Abeokuta, Ogunsola said the initiative aligns with ongoing strategies to tackle the dangers of unsafe abortion, especially among women in low- and middle-income communities.

Addressing participants on the theme “Breaking Barriers to Safe Termination of Pregnancy to Save Lives,” he described unsafe abortion as a major public health concern, noting that it remains one of the top five causes of maternal deaths in Nigeria.

“About 97 per cent of unsafe abortions occur among women from low- and middle-income backgrounds. These deaths are largely preventable if women have access to accurate information, safe services, and a stigma-free environment,” Ogunsola stated.

He added that the Ogun State Government is working closely with healthcare professionals, civil society organisations, and legal experts to strengthen the implementation of the SToP guidelines. He also emphasised that the Nigerian Constitution supports access to safe abortion care within legal boundaries, reinforcing the state’s duty to protect women’s health and rights.

In her remarks, the Executive Director of the Centre for Bridging Health Gaps, Dr. Moriam Jagun, described unsafe abortion as one of the most preventable yet persistent causes of death among women. She called for collective efforts among government agencies, policymakers, medical practitioners, and faith leaders to ensure women’s access to safe, legal, and quality reproductive healthcare.

During a panel discussion on “Strengthening Abortion Services as Life-Saving Care,” the Director of the Citizens’ Rights Department, Mrs. Oluwakemi Lawal, clarified that abortion is legally permissible in Nigeria when a pregnancy endangers a woman’s life or physical health, including cases of rape, incest, or cancer. She stressed that such procedures must be carried out by qualified medical professionals in hygienic conditions.

A representative of the Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Nigeria, Dr. Olusoji Jagun, added that safe abortion services uphold women’s rights to make informed reproductive choices without fear of legal or social consequences. He called for increased public awareness about the SToP guidelines and the importance of accessing medically safe abortion care.

While abortion in Nigeria is legal only to save a woman’s life, unsafe procedures remain widespread, often performed by untrained individuals in unsafe conditions. Experts warn that these practices continue to contribute significantly to Nigeria’s high maternal mortality rate—one of the highest in the world—with little progress recorded in recent years.