HUMAN rights doctors have urged Parliament and all stakeholders to support the Medical Services Amendment Bill which expands grounds for abortion in the interests of safeguarding women’s lives, dignity and health.
In a statement yesterday, the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) said it supported the inclusion of Clause 11 in the Medical Services Amendment Bill, 2024.
The clause addresses termination of pregnancy and related provisions.
ZADHR described the inclusion as a “significant step”, which aligns with section 76 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, enshrining the right to healthcare, as well as sections 48, 51 and 52, which protect the rights to life, dignity and bodily integrity.
“It also marks a pivotal move towards improving access to reproductive health services for all Zimbabweans,” ZADHR said.
“Clause 11 introduces essential changes to Zimbabwe’s abortion law, thereby amending the outdated Termination of Pregnancy Act [Chapter 15:10] of 1977.”
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ZADHR said the law had historically permitted abortion in strictly limited circumstances, such as risk to a woman’s life, serious foetal abnormalities or instances of rape and incest.
“In light of evolving public health realities and the constitutional guarantees of healthcare, dignity and personal security, the current law is no longer adequate.”
It said the proposed amendments included the need to broaden access within regulated medical settings to provide for safer, facility-based services, preventing recourse to unsafe and clandestine procedures.
“The 2023-24 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) estimates the maternal mortality ratio at 212 deaths per 100 000 live births — a significant improvement, but still unacceptably high (ZDHS 2023-24),” the ZADHR said.
“Furthermore, research conducted by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) and the Guttmacher Institute estimates that 65 000-80 000 induced abortions occur annually in Zimbabwe, with approximately 25 000 women treated each year for complications resulting from unsafe abortions.
“Unsafe abortion has been estimated to contribute to around 16% of maternal deaths in Zimbabwe (MoHCC & Guttmacher Institute, 2016).”
The doctors said global evidence was unequivocal.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that 45% of abortions worldwide are unsafe, with the overwhelming majority occurring in low-and-middle-income countries like Zimbabwe,” they said.
“Evidence consistently demonstrates that criminalisation does not eliminate abortion; it merely shifts it from regulated medical settings to unsafe environments.
“When women are denied access to safe, facility-based services, the result is preventable haemorrhage, sepsis, infertility and death, placing further strain on Zimbabwe’s already burdened public health system.”
“ZADHR, therefore, urges Parliament and all stakeholders to support the Medical Services Amendment Bill in the interest of safeguarding women’s lives, dignity and health.”
On Wednesday, the Senate postponed debate on the proposed Bill.
In a statement recently, the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishop Conference urged lawmakers to reject the proposed amendments.